Oleander
by KawaiiRiniBunny
Summary: They said he was a man no one could truly understand. But had anyone ever tried? AU, Aizen/OC, various other pairings.
1. Springtime

_**Oleander**_

**A/N: Well. I've had this idea in my head for a while now. I read a small "spoiler" from the third Bleach fanbook, Unmasked, and ever since then I've been wanting to write this.**

_"Aizen was stronger than anybody else, and because of this, he was lonely and misunderstood by everyone. The loneliness that came with this strong isolation was very deep, and very sad."_

**Nothing's been confirmed, but when I read this I wondered what would have happened if someone tried to understand Aizen. And thus, this story was born.**

** I did not translate that, just so you know. I credit the original person who did it (I cannot find the original post, I only found copies. If you would like to see it, just PM me and I shall give you the link.)**

**Pairings: The main pairing will be AizenxOC, but there will be MANY more. The more prominent ones will be: UlquiorraxOrihime, GinxRangiku, NnoitraxNeliel, StarrkxHarribel and IchigoxRukia, but there will be many more. **

**Warnings: A little OOC'ness, bad words and future mature situations. This takes place in an Alternate Universe in an unnamed country. Feel free to fill in any blanks with whatever you wish.  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This is based off Tite Kubo's manga Bleach, and all his characters are owned by him. I merely own my OC's and this AU plot.  
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**Please enjoy!**

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><p>The train was always going to be crowded at this time of the morning, Ueshima Noa could already tell. There were people packed side by side like sardines, business people and commoners alike. However, she'd already made up her mind that she wouldn't be deterred by crowds, since this was cheaper than driving everyday, especially when you factored in things like gas money and tolls.<p>

The one thing she did mind about having to take the train everyday was how much standing she was going to have to do. She got on at one of the latest stops and by that time all the seats were taken. There might be times when chivalrous young men would offer their seats to her, but she would always end up giving it to some old lady. She was weak like that, something her friends often pointed out to her.

_'It's not my fault, though...'_ she thought to herself._ 'It's just how I was raised. Besides, it's good manners, right?'_

So she decided to stick it out and ride the train, six days a week for half an hour in pinching heels on the way to and from Seireitei Inc., her new place of employment. It was the biggest company in the country with several branches into various fields of work, so uncomfortable trains rides were worth it, no matter how crowded they were.

Gripping the pole she was leaning against, Noa sighed nervously. Here she was, freshly graduated and about to join the business world. Getting hired at Seireitei Inc. was no small feat, and she was proud of herself for accomplishing it. People from all different walks of life dreamed of having the comfortable, powerful life of a head at Seireitei Inc., and Noa was no different. However, she wasn't really after one of the top positions. It took years to get there, and only the best were chosen from hundreds of other hopefuls. No, all she wanted was a secure profession earned through hard work and talent.

_'Now stopping at Dangai Station. Please watch your step as you depart, and have a nice day.'_The crackled sound of the announcement snapped Noa out of her inner thoughts. This was her stop, the first of many to come. Or so she hoped.

Stepping off the train, she composed herself into what she hoped was a business-woman like stature and began to walk. She had practiced walking in heels for days, and she wasn't going to embarrass herself by tripping on her first day.

Slipping in between old men chatting to each other over newspapers and stock reports she made her way towards the stairs that lead to the main buildings of the company. Noa could see them peeking over the tops of cherry blossom and maple trees; huge, modern buildings that shone in the early morning sun like beacons. This was her new life, and her eyes drunk in the sights. The cobblestone path she walked on was free of any sort of debris, the hedges and trees were shapely and beautifully well-managed. And all around her stood important men in women in expensive suits and pencil skirts, talking and discussing the going-ons of the world.

She was so lost in admiration that she didn't hear the voice calling her name until it was right behind her. "Noa! Noa!"

Turning suddenly, she bumped into the chest of the young man calling her name. "Oh, Tesla! It's you!"

Tesla Lindocruz, her friend and senpai at their university smiled at her with calm honey eyes. "It's so great to see you. You work here now?" Tesla asked when he noticed her smart attire and the thin briefcase she held.

"Yes. I was accepted into the editorial and publishing department in the Gotei division," Noa said excitedly. "It's my first day."

Tesla grinned. "That's great! I was actually just on my way over to the Gotei building. I can show you around if you'd like." He straightened his tie, and Noa admired how comfortable and assured he looked. Back at the university, he had often spoken of his dream to one day work at Seireitei Inc., something they both had in common. This shared dream led to them becoming friends despite the three year age difference. They had lost contact after Tesla had graduated, and Noa was glad he had accomplished his dream.

"That'd be great," Noa said, smiling softly. She walked along side her friend, glad she had found someone to show her around. "So, where do you work Tesla?"

"In the Las Noches division, under Gilga Nnoitra. He's head of the military recruitment and training over there, and I'm directly under him," Tesla replied. "It's a hard job, but I don't mind. I look up to Jiruga, and I wouldn't trade my position for any other."

_'I've heard of him,'_ Noa thought to herself._ 'He's supposed to be pretty extreme in his methods...'_ However, if Tesla liked him then maybe she'd have to change her perception of him. Sighing, she raised her face to the sky. It was still morning, and the sun was slowly making its way to it's peak. Spring or not, it was going to be a warm day.

"Why so quiet, Noa? Although I guess I can't really say anything...you've always been that way," Tesla turned, his gentle eyes meeting her placid blue ones. "I always liked that about you. You make yourself heard through actions, not by words."

Laughing quietly, Noa scratched the side of her nose in embarrassment. "You flatter me, Tesla. I could say the same about you. You were always the good student, and now you work in military training and recruitment. I always thought you'd end up research or something.

Tesla shook his head. "No, I've no patience for things like that. I prefer immediate results, and in my field that's exactly what we aim for. There's no room for trial and error there."

"Here we are," Tesla announced, leading her up the marble stairs into the Gotei division. The doors were huge, wooden with large windows set within them. They stood open in the spring air, allowing people to walk through freely. Situated on either side were men and women in uniforms and badges decorated with the kanji for two. At their sides were weapons of the highest caliber, and their faces were stern and watchful. Noa's gaze lingered on them before Tesla tugged on her arm, leading her into the great foyer of the Gotei division.

It was huge, decorated with a taste for traditional Asian décor. The wooden floor gleamed like it was brand new, and bamboo and Chinese maples grew in large pots situated around the great room. Statues and wall scrolls decorated the walls, along with benches and tables places in strategic locations much like stones are placed within a zen garden.

Looking up, Noa could see straight up to the glass top of the building fourteen stories up, the blue sky a distant splash of color. The building was slightly oval in shape, and each floor wrapped around. There were stairs to her left and right, leading up to the second floor.

"Come on," Tesla called, walking over to one of the huge elevators. "The editorial department is on the ninth floor." Pushing the call button, they waited for the elevator to arrive.

"Where are you going?" Noa asked as the elevator arrived with a quiet 'ding'. They stepped inside, and Tesla pushed the buttons for the ninth and eleventh floors.

"Up to the eleventh floor. I have something to pick up." Noa nodded, and began to straighten her hair and outfit. She had chosen a nice neutral gray and blue skirt and a simple silk blouse for her first day, and had curled her mid-back length brown hair into gentle ringlets. She had wanted to appear professional, but not old. She was only twenty-one, after all.

The floors sped by out the glass of the elevator. Noa brushed her hands against her skirt nervously, and bit her lower lip. It was habit she was trying to get rid of-she always made her lips chap and bleed.

The elevator began to slow. "Here you are," Tesla smiled again, brushing his dirty-blonde hair out of his eyes. "We work in different buildings so we probably won't see much of each other. Other than outside of work, that is," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Speaking of that, would you like to go get something to eat after work? Get caught up and all that?"

Noa smiled. "Yeah, sure. Sounds like fun." Inside, she was very excited. She had missed her friend.

Tesla grinned. "That's great. I'll wait for you outside at around six. See you then," he waved to her as the elevator doors opened to the ninth floor. Noa waved, stepped out, and immediately was pushed to the side by people rushing past with arms full of paper and office supplies.

"Where is that manuscript? Goddammit, if Iemura forgot to turn it in again, I'm going to march down to the fourth floor and kick his ass," a booming voice sounded from behind a stack of paper on a filing cabinet.

"It's right here, Hisagi, keep your pants on," a woman's voice answered in an annoyed voice. "Go make yourself useful instead of breathing down the necks of people who are actually _working_."

Noa swallowed nervously and tightened her grip on her briefcase. All around her people were typing on computers, printing, faxing, scanning and throwing papers everywhere. It was pure chaos.

_'What have I gotten myself into?_' Noa asked herself as she narrowly dodged being mowed down by a short man with a smoking printer in his arms. _'Come back, Tesla! I think you dropped me off on the wrong floor!'_

She turned a corner and was met with the sight of a man with spiky black hair running from desk to desk, grabbing papers and marking them with a red pen. The whir of electronics and the shuffling of papers drowned out every other sound.

"Uh, excuse me..." Noa called out, but no one noticed. The man kept running, the other employees kept typing, and Noa was getting more and more frustrated. This _wasn't_ what she was expecting.

"Hey...hey..._HEY_!" She yelled, and immediately regretted it. Everyone stopped to look at her, and she suddenly felt very small. It wasn't like her to yell like that, but she was getting nowhere otherwise.

"Uh...can anyone tell me where I can find the head of the editorial and publishing department?" She asked quickly. Everyone stared at her, until the man with the spiky hair and red pen stepped forward.

"Yeah, what do you want? We're kind of busy, in case you haven't noticed," he said in an exasperated voice.

Clearing her throat, Noa held out her hand. "I'm Ueshima Noa. I work here now, and was told to come to you." Noa tried not to stare at him; he wasn't what she expected him to be. For starters, he had the number 'sixty-nine' tattooed on his face, along with three thin scars over one eye. He was attractive in a wild way, but not exactly what the words 'editorial and publishing director' brought to mind.

Once her name was mentioned, his eyes widened. "You're the new girl? That's great! We need another pair of hands around here...especially when the people who already work here _DON'T DO THEIR JOBS RIGHT_!" He turned and shouted at the people behind him in desks who jumped and began to work again. Noa cocked an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.

"I'm Shuhei Hisagi," the man said, shaking her hand, "Head of the Editorial and Publishing Department at Seireitei Inc." He began to walk away, motioning for Noa to follow. He lead her through a maze of desks, explaining things to her the entire way.

"You've come at a hectic time. It's Hell Week- all our manuscripts and drafts for our spring clients are due. We've got to get them proof-read, printed, signed and stamped by the big guys before they can be sent out. We publish everything, from children's books to safety manuals for microwaves," Shuhei explained. Noa nodded; nearly every printed thing in the country had the _'Seireitei Publishers'_ stamp on it.

Shuhei stepped over a upturned paper-shredder and opened the door to a spacious office in the back. It had a large window that made up the entire back wall, and several computers and various other machines lined the walls. A large desk was in front of the window, and a large pile of papers sat there as well.

"We'll start you out helping me in here," Shuhei said, pointing to the desk. "Those are drafts at the final stage; I need you to proof-read them. If you find any mistakes, put them in this basket," he pulled a shallow metal paper basket out from under the desk, "And send them back for correction. Use a red pen- it stands out." And with that, he shook her hand again and left, shutting the door behind him.

Noa stared at the closed door, and sighed for what felt like the billionth time that day. "Well," she said to herself, looking back at the papers on the desk, "At least I won't be bored." Pulling up a chair, she grabbed a red pen from the plentiful supply on the desk, and pulled the nearest draft towards her. "Here goes nothing."

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><p>Several hours and several hundred pages later, Noa yawned and cracked her knuckles. It was over, finally. After going through drafts on what was mostly brochures on healthy dental hygiene and the proper way to remove aphids from ones tomato plants, with a generous helping of sending things back for correction, it was over. Gazing up at the clock on the wall, she noticed the time. It was two-o'clock, her lunchtime.<p>

Standing, she stretched and straightened her clothes. As the day had wore on, the noise from the rooms behind her had lowered considerably until it was merely the occasional quiet murmuring and the electronic buzz of machines. It was all quite lovely, actually. "I could get used to this," she told herself hopefully.

Leaving her briefcase where it was, she left the office, tucking the red pen she had used into a skirt pocket. It was going to be her new best friend, she could already tell.

Heading to the elevator, she was greeted by several friendly smiles and welcomes. 'Everyone seems to be in a much happier mood,' she noticed. Pushing the button to call the elevator, she waited in silence, wriggling her toes in her heels every so often to lessen the numbing.

"You did a great job back there," a voice said from behind her. Turning her head, she smiled softly at Shuhei as he came to stand beside her. "I was impressed.

"It was nothing," she said humbly. "Editing isn't so hard, you just have to have a quick eye so you don't miss anything." Back at the university, and even in high school Noa was asked by her friends and sometimes even teachers to help edit and proof-read papers. She had a knack for that sort of thing.

"Still," Shuhei said, stepping forward as the elevator opened. "I don't think I've seen such thorough work before, especially for someone who just started. We'll have to get you on one of the upcoming projects. Maybe you can get some of the lazy-asses back there to work harder."

Noa grinned. "Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it." Shuhei smiled at her as he pushed the button for the ground floor. "Lunchtime, right?" He asked. When Noa nodded, he continued. "Why don't you come sit with me? I'll introduce you to some of the other guys you'll see around."

Although she was a little daunted at the idea of sitting with someone who was at a much higher rank than she was, she nodded. _'It's kind of him to offer. I'm glad I'm working under him.'_

It wasn't long before the elevator stopped. "The cafeteria is this way," Shuhei said, leading her to the other end of the building opposite of the large entrance way. "The food they serve is pretty good...nothing gourmet, but good nonetheless."

"It's so big," Noa said in awe as he led her into the large eating area. People were everywhere, standing in lines and sitting at tables, laughing and talking and eating.

"A lot of people work here," Shuhei explained. "What'd you expect?"

Noa shrugged. "I suppose you're right." Getting in line behind him, she watched as he piled a large amount of food onto his tray. Rice, vegetables, teriyaki and pre-packaged sushi all found a place on his tray. Deciding she wasn't that hungry, Noa settled for a carton of yoghurt and a small fruit salad. Her stomach was still churning slightly from the newness of it all.

"That's all?" Shuhei asked incredulously as she followed him to a table. She nodded, slightly embarrassed. Should she have gotten more?

"Whatever. Girls are so weird...with all their diets and 'eating right' bullshit." Shaking his head, he sat at a table across from a man wearing a strange pair of eyeglasses and a very busty woman with beautiful strawberry blonde hair. Next to Shuhei a man with blonde hair that fell into his eyes looked up at Noa. "Who is this, Shuhei?"

"My name is Ueshima Noa. It's a pleasure to meet you," Noa said hastily as she sat next to Shuhei.

"This is my new proof-reading genius," Shuhei said with a mouthful of rice. "She just started today. I said I'd introduce her to you guys. This," he said, gesturing to the blonde man next to him, "Is Izuru Kira, head of the Third Division at Seireitei Inc. The idiot with the glasses is Tetsuzaemon Iba, vice-head of the Seventh Division, and the woman next to him is-"

"I'm Rangiku Matsumoto," the woman interrupted, smiling at Noa. "Vice-head of the Tenth Division. We specialize in crime investigation and the like." She had huge brown eyes, and Noa couldn't help but notice how Shuhei watched her. _'Ah...so he likes her...'_

"I'm in people services," Iba said gruffly. "Not exactly my piece of cake, but hey. The position was open and I'm not gonna complain about a top spot."

"Who are you kidding, Iba? Everyone knows you worked your ass off to get accepted there because you didn't want to disappoint your mom," Izuru muttered, taking a sip from the can of tea in front of him. Putting it down, he smiled at Noa. "I'm in marketing, mostly. My division also helps out all the other ones at times. We're versatile."

Nodding, Noa pushed a couple of grapes around her salad. "I see." _'So many top spots...I feel rather unaccomplished at the moment...'_

"You're so quiet!" Matsumoto gushed, placing her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. "Tells us about yourself! Where do you come from?"

Clearing her throat, Noa put down her fork. "Well, I-Oof!" She was suddenly interrupted by a man she recognized from the ninth division editorial department pushing in between her to wave papers in front of Shuhei's face. "Hisagi! We finished the draft report and got the signatures from the president! All it needs now is Las Noche's approval and we're good to go!"

"Aw, crap," Shuhei muttered, taking the paper from him and looking it over. "I don't want to walk over there now...I just started lunch." Grumbling, he began to pack up his food.

"Sir..." Noa said quietly. "If you like, I could take it over there for you." Shuhei looked at her in surprise.

"Are you sure? It's your first day..." He looked a little worried, but Noa decided to insist. _'I want __to prove that I'm a capable worker.' _"Please sir," she continued. "It's no trouble."

"Bah. Let her go, Hisagi," Iba said, leaning forward. "She volunteered."

"Are you sure, Noa?" Izuru leaned forward to peer at her. "It's a...long walk and all..."

"I can do it," Noa insisted. "I need to learn my way around anyways."

Shuhei sighed, and handed the papers to her. "Alright, then. Just get the signature of approval and come back. I'll probably be back up on the ninth floor, so just head there." Noa nodded, and stood.

"Don't worry," Iba said, looking like he was trying not to laugh. "It'll be good experience...if she comes back, that is."

_'Yeah, it'll be good ex-Wait, what?' _Noa looked at Shuhei. "Who am I taking it to, exactly?" She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and the others were looking at her like she had just volunteered to wade into shark infested waters while covered in blood.

"The head of the Las Noches division...Sosuke Aizen."

_'...Shit.'_

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><p>"Sir, your tea is ready."<p>

Strong brown eyes looked up from the desk as the young raven-haired woman set a steaming tea tray on the dark carved surface. The young woman bowed lowly and departed, closing the door with a click behind her.

The owner of the eyes sighed, and reached for the expensive cup of tea. Inhaling the fragrant steam, he sipped it quietly with closed eyes. Jasmine pearls with just a small hint of chamomile. Delicious.

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><p><em>'I'm going to die...my first day of work, and I'm going to die.' <em>

Noa walked slowly back down the cobblestone path she had been so eager to venture down earlier. Now the walk was considerably less enjoyable, and she had to keep herself from frowning.

_'Sosuke Aizen...one of the most powerful men in the country...no, in the world...and I have to get his signature...' _Heaving the biggest sigh of the day, Noa clutched the papers in her hand. Everyone in the world knew who Sosuke Aizen was, and with that name came the power and knowledge of the man behind it. Most of what she heard was probably just wild rumor, but one could only wonder if they were true.

Apparently, if Aizen didn't like you then you weren't going to last very long. There were rumors that he had 'taken care of' several opponents in the past, along with various underlings who weren't up to par in his opinion. It was different for people like Shuhei, people who had been in their positions for years and most likely met the man before. But for people like her, people who had just started and barely knew anyone in her own division, it was like walking to her own funeral. Even if he decided he didn't want to have her 'taken care of', he could, at the very least, ruin her chances of going anywhere in her career. Noa wasn't sure what she was more afraid of.

The Las Noches division's building loomed ahead of her, almost exact in its appearance to the Gotei division's building save for the landscaping around it. It was much more modern in appearance, and white seemed to be the motif here. Hedges that bloomed with white flowers, birch trees with white bark, and fountains made of white and gray marble stood in perfectly trimmed green grass.

Taking a deep breath, Noa started up the stairs, noticing the considerable lack of people here compared to the Gotei building. Right now, she could only see guards stationed outside the huge marble doors, each of them as passive and intimidating as the next. Going up to the top step, she lowered her head and slipped in between the huge stone doors.

If she thought the outside's motif was white, Noa had no idea what was in store for her on the inside. It looked like everything here was white; the floors, the walls, the desks, everything. Huge bright lights shone from an unknown source, while above her, much like the Gotei building, the sky beckoned to her, the only splash of color around.

Looking around her, Noa could only see a few people here and there. She walked forward, flinching at how loud her heels sounded within the stark, quiet atmosphere. Going up to the desk, she waited for one of the secretaries to notice her.

"Excuse me," Noa said quietly. "I need to speak with Sosuke Aizen. I have something he needs to sign." Crossing her fingers behind the papers, Noa hoped the secretary would say something like 'He isn't here today', or 'I'll do that for you', or 'Please, give me those and run as fast as you can out the door and never come back-'

"Take the elevator to the top floor. It's the first door you'll see, you can't miss it," the secretary said without even looking up at Noa, unbeknownst to the fact that she had just crushed Noa's every hope and dream with that one sentence.

"T-thanks..." Noa replied quietly, gathering up what courage she had left to make her way to the ,yes, you guessed it, white elevators. Pushing the button so it glowed faintly, she closed her eyes and offered a small prayer to the gods. _'Ding.'_

Stepping into the elevator, she let out a shaky breath when her stomach told her they were moving up at a quick pace. _'Pull yourself together, Noa! You won't stand a chance if you go in there acting like this, even if he is the kind of man people make him out to be. Just be calm and professional, and when it's all over run like you've never run before.'_

Nodding to herself, she clutched the papers to her chest and situated her curls around her face. "I can do this. I can do this. I can do this..."

_'Ding.'_

"I can do this!" Noa whispered to herself ferociously. Stepping out of the elevator, she gazed up at the impressive marble and wood doors that stood directly in front of her. She walked forward, raised a shaking arm to the door, and knocked as loud as she could possibly manage in this state.

"Enter."

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><p><strong>Thank you for taking the time to read this! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave a review. Kind words are appreciated as well.<strong>


	2. Somebody Told Me

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and put this on their favorites/story alert/etc.. I really appreciate it! I smiled every time a notification appeared in my inbox.**

**This chapter is slightly shorter than the previous one, I apologize. But there is more Aizen, so maybe you'll be content.  
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**Warnings: Minor OOC'ness ( it is an AU plot, after all) and bad words.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or it's characters. This is a fanfiction.**

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><p>The voice from the other side of the doors was a rich baritone, smokey and seductive. Setting her head and chin steadily, Noa pushed the doors open and stepped inside the lion's den.<p>

The first thing she noticed was the view. Much like Shūhei's, the entire back wall of Aizen's personal office was a large window. However, Aizen had a much better view out of his than Shūhei had. Even from her position by the door, Noa could see the clear expanse of blue sky, dotted with soft clouds all the way to the horizon. In the white and steel of the sizable office, looking out the window was like gazing into the most realistic painting anyone had ever done, and it took her breath away for a moment.

"What is it? I don't have all day," the smokey voice shocked Noa out of her reverie. Standing up straight, Noa cleared her throat and lowered her eyes.

"I have draft reports that need your signature, sir," Noa said quickly. _'Come on...just sign them and let me go!'_

"Yes, yes," Aizen replied in a bored voice. Noa could hear the scratch of a pen on paper. "Just leave them here. I'll get to them later."

_'What? No! You're ruining my plan!'_

Noa squeezed her eyes shut. Taking a deep, shaky breath she opened them again, and raised her head. Aizen sat at his desk, scribbling who knew what on several embossed documents. Even with his head slightly lowered and in his sitting position, Noa could practically feel the power rolling off of him. He wore a simple white button-up shirt and red tie, and Noa noticed his suit jacket slung on the back of his chair.

_'He hasn't even glanced up at me yet,'_Noa realized. She suddenly felt a bit braver, and stepped forward.

"Actually, sir...I'd appreciate it if you signed them. Now. I was told to bring them straight back."

The sound of pen on paper stopped, and so did Noa's heart._ 'Oh no! What have I done? What did I say?'_

Aizen dropped his pen and combed his now free fingers through his elegantly slicked back hair. Slowly, he raised his head, deep brown eyes meeting Noa's for the first time. They were immense, and even from the distance she was at Noa could feel herself being dissected by them.

"What is your name?" Aizen asked suddenly. "I don't believe I've seen you around before."

"Ueshima Noa, sir. I just started today." _'Now he's talking to me...?'_

Aizen's brow arched in subtle surprise. "Really? They sent someone who literally just started to bring me something as important as draft reports? How unusual."

"I volunteered, sir," Noa corrected him. _'And now I'm talking to him...?'_

His gazed narrowed. "I see...Very well. Bring them here, Ueshima Noa."  
>Nodding, Noa stepped forward, trying to keep her legs from shaking. She handed the documents to Aizen, who began to flip through them, eyes scanning over each page in record time. One after the other, he added his signature underneath the others already written, and on the last page stamped a red insignia beside a gold one. Exhaling slightly, he pushed them to the edge of the desk where Noa quickly scooped them up.<p>

"Thank you sir," she said quietly, bowing as low as her skirt would allow. Turning, she stepped quickly across the floor, slipped between the doors and was gone.

_'I'm alive!'_

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><p>As he watched the young woman leave, Aizen reclined in his chair, placing a smooth hand underneath his chin. <em>'That was rather unusual...'<em>

It was a very rare thing for someone to speak up and contradict him like that woman did. Of course, it was a very small contradiction, but it left him surprised nonetheless.

She was a rather slight, petite girl. Aizen doubted she'd come up to his chin. Her face was placid enough, but Aizen could still see the fear within them. _'And her legs were shaking the entire time, how pathetic. But, still...'_

Leaning forward, he picked up a slim black phone and pressed a button on the receiver. "Tousen," he spoke.

"Yes, sir?" The voice coming out of the phone was quiet.

"Find me everything you can about one Ueshima Noa. She began work in the Gotei Division today, you can find her file in the directories."

"Understood. Do you want it tonight?"

Aizen sighed, and began to stand. "No, just leave it on my desk. I'll look at it tomorrow. I'm going home."

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><p>"I can't believe it," Shūhei announced when Noa stepped off the elevator. "You came back! In one piece!"<p>

Smiling weakly, Noa sat down in an empty chair. "Yeah...I guess I did, didn't I?" Leaning her head back, she rubbed her eyes and drank in the chaotic, colorful mess of the ninth floor editorial department. _'No white...no marble...'_

Shūhei smirked, leaning across the divider between two desks. "Look, I hate to make you work after the life and death ordeal you just faced, but I've got a stack of potty-training brochures back in my office that are _screaming_to be proof-read..."

Laughing, Noa stood. "It's alright. I'll get it done." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the red pen she had out there earlier. "Mark them in red, right?"

Shūhei grinned. "You're gonna fit in okay around here, kid."

* * *

><p>Noa finished up her work at ten minutes to six, giving her just enough time to clean up before she was supposed to go meet Tesla. She filed the different documents in their respective places, said good-bye to Shūhei and the remaining staff on duty and made her way to the elevator. The building was quieter now, most of the staff had already gone home. Of course, there were people like those in the ninth division who were so behind on deadlines and the like that they had no choice to stay a few hours, but nobody really complained. Being dedicated to your job meant doing whatever it took to finish things and finish them right.<p>

_'No one ever got anywhere doing things half-assed,'_ Noa mused as she stepped into the foyer. The setting sun cast shadows through the expansive room, and Noa was glad for the contrast. _'Much better than white, white, white.'_

Stepping wearily to the great doors, she grimaced as her shoes pinched her toes. She could not wait for the chance to take them off. Exiting the building, she was greeted at the bottom of the steps by Tesla, who was waiting as promised.

"How was your day?" He asked, eyes smiling. "Not too terribly boring, I hope."

Noa just laughed. "No, not too bad." Tesla looked puzzled, but led her down the cobblestones.

"That's good to hear. Come on, the parking garage is this way. I'll drive you home after dinner, okay?"

Noa nodded, grateful. No train ride home tonight. Her luck was slowly getting better.

Tesla helped her inside his car, a newer but modest model. It was nothing like the sleek, gleaming machines the heads and CEO's drove, but it was comfortable. With it's tan leather and polished steering wheel, Noa felt it complimented Tesla's easy-going and professional attitude.

"There's this place not too far from downtown," Tesla said as he maneuvered the vehicle through the tree-lined driveway of Seireitei Inc. "It's got pretty good Italian food. That's still your favorite, right?"

Noa nodded. "I can't believe you still remember, Tesla. I can barely remember my mom's favorite foods, much less my friends."

Tesla grinned. "It's a talent of mine. Besides, it's out of the way of the usual evening crowds, so it won't be too crowded."

* * *

><p>Tesla was right; the place he had chosen was out of the way. It was a small mom and pop Italian eatery situated between a meat market and a florist. In fact, if Tesla hadn't pointed it out Noa might never have found it. Once inside, a cute young waitress showed them to a comfortable table with a view out the front windows, took their drink orders and left them to talk.<p>

"This is nice," Noa sighed comfortably, leaning back into her seat. Figuring no one would notice, she slipped her feet out of the heels, flexing her toes in relief. 'Finally...'

"Isn't it?" Tesla grinned, taking a small sip of his water. "I found it about two months ago. My old car broke down just outside, and I waited in here for the tow-truck. I've been coming in at least once a week since then."

Noa nodded, reclining in her chair. "I haven't been out to eat in a long time. Since the last time I saw my mom, at least. I've been living off food from the grocery near my apartment. It's not exactly the healthiest way of living, but I like to think I compromise with my commute."

Tesla grinned. "So you're living by yourself, then?" Noa nodded. "So am I," he continued. "Once I left the dorms I stayed with a friend for a few weeks while getting my things in order. I'm renting a small flat in the east side. It's kind of out of the way, but the rent is decent and the neighborhood isn't too bad."

"I stayed with my mom for about two weeks," Noa said, picking up her own water and watching the condensation on the side roll off. "I found a decent sized apartment, not too far from here, actually. I'm renting from this older couple who own the entire building. I'm happy with it...although my mother wasn't. I spent an extra week going through her house looking for my things that she'd hidden. She'd prefer that I never leave."

Laughing, Tesla leaned back as the young waitress came back with a notepad. "The usual, Mr. Lindocruz?" She asked in a lilting voice. Tesla nodded. Noa ordered some butternut squash ravioli, deciding that she had a sweet tooth that night. Besides, when was the next time she would be treated to dinner? She was taking advantage of it.

"So, your first day wasn't too boring?" Tesla asked, honey colored eyes finding Noa's face. "I've heard the ninth floor gets pretty wild this time of the month."

Noa shook her head. "No, actually. I mean, it was wild and chaotic, but in an organized way. I think if they tried doing things any other way everything would fall apart at the seams. Everyone was very friendly, and the head of the department invited me to sit with him and a few others during our lunch break."

Tesla looked impressed. "Really? See, I told you. You do make good impressions through actions, Noa."

"Yeah," she continued, playing with her spoon, "But then I offered to take a final draft report over to the Las Noche's building. To Sosuke Aizen."

_"Pfffft!"_Tesla, who had been taking a sip of water, proceeded to spray it all over the table and choke. Noa leapt up with her napkin and began to dab at his soaked collar, regret etched in her face. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you choke!"

Pushing her arm away, Tesla grabbed a napkin and wiped his face. Coughing slightly, he looked up at her through hair that had fallen in his face.

"Are you _insane_? What were you thinking?"

Noa sat back down in her chair, wiping up the rest of the splattered water. "I volunteered without knowing. Once they told me, it was too late to refuse." Setting her hands in her lap, she sighed. "Besides...it wasn't that bad. He just asked my name, signed them and I left. No harm done, right?"

Tesla shook his head, placing a hand over his face. "Look, Noa," he said slowly. "You've heard the stories about him, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"But nothing!" Tesla interrupted. "You need to be careful, Noa. That man has the power to ruin your life on a whim." He reached across the table, picking up one of Noa's hands in his own larger ones. "I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, but please, promise you'll be careful. I don't want to see you hurt."

Noa nodded slowly. "I know...and I promise. I'll start asking questions before I do anymore favors."

Looking satisfied, Tesla leaned back in his chair just as the waitress returned with their food. "Good. Now...let's eat."

* * *

><p>After Tesla had dropped her off in front of her apartment, Noa stretched in the cool night air and walked up to the old stone building. Her room was on the second floor, and since the elevator had been "out of order" for who knows how long, she started up the stairs. She hadn't bothered to put her heels back on when they left the restaurant, and the soft padding of her feet hardly made a sound in on the cool cement stairs. Not that she was worried; not many people lived in this building, and the ones who did were old and heavy sleepers.<p>

Reaching into her briefcase, she pulled out her keys and unlocked her door. Turning on the lights, she yawned, throwing her shoes and briefcase onto a chair.

Her apartment wasn't large, but it was comfortable. It had a living room with a nice kitchen at one end, a bathroom and a bedroom with a large closet and it's own shower and bath. All in all, it was perfect for a young woman living on her own. She had received some nice furniture from aunts and uncles as graduation gifts, and had purchased some good kitchen utensils with what money she accepted from her mother. It wasn't much, but Noa liked the cozy, homey feel of it. Plus it had a working air and heating system.

Going into her bedroom, she turned on the lights, eventually venturing into the bathroom to turn on the water. It was getting late, but a nice hot bath sounded really good. After pulling out her favorite soaps and shampoo, she went back into her bedroom to find towels and pajamas. "It's been a long day," Noa murmured as she began to unbutton her blouse. Unzipping her skirt, she slipped out of her clothes and shut the door to the bathroom. She tested the water with her foot, and decided that it was a good temperature.

"_Aaaaaah..._" She slid neck deep into the water, letting her hair float around her. Closing her eyes, she let her body soak away all the pain and exhaustion of her day. She popped her toes out of the water, admiring the red polish on them. Eventually, her mind began to wander.

_'Tesla's right...I should be more careful when doing favors and volunteering. People might see that as an invitation to walk all over me. I'll never get anywhere like that.'_ Sitting up, she popped open the top of her shampoo and let the slippery mixture drizzle out onto her hand. The light scent of vanilla mixed with the steam as she worked it into her damp hair, massaging her scalp. _'I'm expected to run errands since I'm a new employee, but from now on I'll try to stay away from ones that take me to Aizen.'_She had to admit, though, the man wasn't what she expected. He was much younger than she pictured, in his late twenties she guessed. And although he had been sitting the entire time, she could tell he stood at least a foot taller than her. He had appeared extremely well-groomed, but what really surprised her was his eyes.

Even at the distance across the desk, Noa could see they were the deepest, darkest brown eyes she had ever seen. When he had lifted them to meet hers, it was like she was being put into a trance. When she was younger, she had visited a theme park with her mother that had featured a widely-known hypnotist. The feeling she got from Aizen's eyes was almost exactly how she had felt under the hypnotist's influence.

Pouring water over her head, Noa washed the vanilla shampoo from her hair. "He was very attractive, though," she admitted. "I wonder if he's married?" Although their names and accomplishments were known to the entire country, the private lives of the heads at Seireitei Inc. were widely less known. In fact, she didn't know if any of the heads were in relationships, and if they were they did a good job of keeping it private.

_'They do have that right, though,' _Noa said as she pulled the plug in the bathtub and stood, droplets of water rolling down her slightly pink skin. _'Anyways, they're not exactly celebrities.'_

After toweling off and changing into her most comfortable pair of pajamas, she turned off all the lights and climbed into bed. Wrapping the ivory bedspread she had owned since high school around her, Noa laid back into her pillow, and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, clear across the city, Sosuke Aizen sat in front of a large window on a white couch, watching the lights of the city below him. He owned several lavish apartments around the city, each of them with different views, but this one was the one he lived in the most. The entire apartment was dark, the only light coming from the city outside.<p>

Reaching to the short coffee table in front of him, Aizen picked up a delicate teacup, bringing it to his lips. The taste of ginger with just a hint of vanilla lingered in his mouth even after he had placed the fragile cup back on the polished wood of the table. Letting out a tired sigh, he leaned back against the couch, laying an arm over the back lazily. This was how he always spent his evenings, gazing out over the city with a cup of tea until exhaustion forced him to retire to the bedroom. It was here that he settled into a state of absolute calm, and let the mirrors hidden behind his eyes fade away. They were his greatest weapon, and it was only while he was alone in the quiet dark that he dared let their true form show.

He hadn't gotten to the position he was in by pure luck. No, it took a lot of careful planning and perfectly placed words laced with just a hint of poison in order to accomplish all he had in such a short time. Here he was, nearing twenty-eight and already at the top of the world. Or at least, near enough that he could practically taste it.

Sighing deeply, he stood. With one last lingering glance out the window, he went into his room, shutting the heavy wooden door with a muffled _'click'_.

* * *

><p>Yawning, Noa shifted feet while waiting for her train. She had woken up earlier than usual, and unable to fall back asleep she decided to just start getting ready. After deciding on a pair of black slacks and a white button up, she retrieved the cursed heels and briefcase from where she had dropped them the previous night and left, albeit a little earlier than she had first intended.<p>

Now she stood at the train station closest to her home, waiting for it to arrive. In front of her stood a gaggle of schoolgirls in uniforms, hovering over a magazine one of them held. Smiling softly to herself, Noa remembered a time when she was like that, waiting with her friends without a thought to what the future may hold. _'I feel so old...yuck.'_

The heavy _whir_ of the approaching train echoed through the open-air station, and immediately everyone started booking books back into bags and phones back into pockets. Praying for an open seat but knowing there wouldn't be one, Noa stepped closer to the loading platform, edging her way in between an older man in a blue business suit and a elderly woman holding a wicker basket. Apparently this was the station where the elderly population of the city decided they wanted to get on the morning trains. _'Just my luck.'_

Slowing to a halt, the train doors slid open, allowing the people to board. As usual, any free seats were filled with snoozing people, so Noa took her usual spot hanging onto a pole. '_Don't fail me now, feet!' _Wriggling her toes for luck, she wavered slightly as the train lurched forward, sending her to her second day of work.

Remembering her promise to Tesla, Noa wondered about the previous days events. She had been wondering what the truth about Aizen really was. She had no doubt that the man was dangerous in a way, but she wasn't the kind of person who judged people on other people's statements. In truth, she wondered how much of the rumors were made up of just that, pure rumor. She had no intention of venturing forth to find out herself, but she was curious.

_'Maybe...I'll just watch him. From afar, of course. That's not breaking my promise, right?'_

* * *

><p>"G'mornin', Cap'n!"<p>

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Aizen sighed. "Good morning, Gin. Please refrain from shouting in my office from now on."

Ichimaru Gin frowned, or at least what Aizen thought was a frown (it was never quite clear with this man). "Aw, c'mon. Whose it botherin'?"

"_Me_," Aizen stated, slinging his suit jacket across the back of his chair. "I don't have time for your frivolities today, so if you would kindly leave..."

Pouting, Gin ignored his superior and pulled up a chair, scooting as close to Aizen's desk as he could. "Why'd you leave so early yesterday? Isn't like you, Cap'n."

Settling into his chair, Aizen started his computer. "I was tired. Besides, I wasn't aware that my arrival and leaving habits were so closely monitored by you, Gin."

"Isn't that what you keep me around for, though?" Gin asked with a fox-like grin. "Keeping a check on people and all that is my specialty." Aizen smirked.

"I suppose so." Running his fingers through his hair, Aizen pulled a slim black folder towards him. It had been waiting on his desk when he had arrived. _'Just like I asked...I thank you, Tousen.'_

_ "_Wha's that?" Gin asked, cocking his head to the side in interest. "A report?"

"You could say that," Aizen said, opening the folder to reveal several pages. The first was a simple form that all employees of Seireitei Inc. had on file.

_'Ueshima Noa, age twenty-one. Height five feet, one inch, weight one-hundred and fifteen pounds. Hair: Brown, Eye color: Blue. Employee identification number 00171394.' _Next to the words was a inset picture of the young woman, smiling at the camera with a youthful expression. Aizen stared at her eyes for a few lingering seconds before setting the paper down on the table, where Gin promptly snatched it up.

"Who's this?" he said slowly, eyes opening a fraction wider to scan the page. "Noa...huh. Weird name."

"Hmm," Aizen acknowledged the statement, focused on the remaining pages in his hand. They were filled with random facts that weren't on public file anywhere, things that a seasoned professional like Tousen and his underlings could find out in a heartbeat.

_'Graduated from Shino Academy where she majored in publishing and manuscript documentation. Mother is Ueshima Etsuko, age 47, father was Ueshima Daisuke, deceased. Current residence is apartment number six, in the building owned by Seikei and Fuu Rokujou, on the corner of Seventeenth and Elm street. Currently lives alone, and is not in a relationship.' _The rest of the pages were filled with stats and records from her university and high school days. Narrowing his eyes, Aizen placed them on the table, allowing Gin to flip through them.

"So wha's this all about, Cap'n? You in love or somethin'? Ya know, this could be considered signs of being a stalker-"

"Gin," Aizen interrupted, "What does the name Ueshima bring to mind when you hear it?" The silver-haired man paused, face thoughtful.

"Now that I think about it, it does seem familiar...Why, Cap'n? She someone important?"

Placing a hand on his chin, Aizen shook his head. "No. Not especially."

* * *

><p>"Noa? You done with those?"<p>

Capping her pen, Noa stood, gathering the pages around here into a neat stack. "Yeah. I'm just waiting on the ones I sent back for revision."

Shūhei nodded from the doorway, looking at a clipboard in his arms. "Good. Could you go over to the printers and help Nami with the loading? She's swamped."

Nodding, Noa left the room, making her way down a narrow pseudo-hallway made up of filing cabinets and desks. The printing area covered a good fourth of the editorial department, with huge, modern printers going almost twenty-four seven. The sheets they spat out tended to accumulate quickly if someone wasn't watching them, thus leading to an even bigger mess and panic. It was best to keep this place running as smoothing as possible, even with all the other areas of the department in utter chaos.

"Ueshima! 'Bout time someone showed up!" A high-pitched voice sounded from behind one of the huge printers. "Get over here. I need you to load those papers in!"

Noa slid in between towering stacks of glossy blank paper, immediately grabbing as many as would fit into the input tray and maneuvering them into a neat position. From the other side, Nami's blonde curls could be seen moving from one huge output tray to the other. They continued this strange dance of the printers until the stack of paper on Noa's end disappeared to come out as clean pamphlets on Nami's side.

"Thanks," Nami said breathlessly, wiping her ink-stained hands on waist apron she was always seen with. "It was getting hectic until you showed up. Did Shūhei send you?"

Leaning against a printer, Noa nodded. "Yeah. He said you needed the help."

"Hell yeah I needed the help," Nami muttered. "For some reason no one ever stays in this department for long. I wonder why." It was no secret that the printing department was the least favored department in the ninth division. If you worked here, your new style consisted of ink-stained clothes and paper-cut fingers. Not pleasant.

"It's not a problem," Noa said. "If you don't need me here anymore, I need to head back to Shūhei's office. I was waiting on some documents that are probably done by now."

Nami waved her away, so Noa bowed slightly and left. She headed back down the desk hallway, silently congratulating herself on managing to not stain her white blouse with ink. Rounding a corner, she nearly bumped into the back of a man standing outside of Shūhei's office.

"Oh! Excuse me, I wasn't watching where I was going," Noa apologized, bowing from her waist. The man turned, and Noa caught sight of the greenest eyes she had ever seen.

"Um, can I help you, sir?" Noa asked quietly. "Are you waiting for Shūhei?" The man nodded, pulling a sheaf of papers out from under his arm.

"Yeah. I need to give him the reports from the marketing department in the Las Noches division for correction. The newest head there isn't exactly the _brightest_ of men when it comes to organization and spelling. Or any other talent needed to head such a department, now that I think about it..." Sighing, he looked around him. "Do you know where Hisagi is? It's important."

Shaking her head, Noa smiled apologetically. "No, but you could give them to me. I'm kind of his assistant for this week, and I'd be happy to fix them for you." The man looked hesitant, but urgency must have given way to doubt for he handed them to her with the instructions to just hand them over to someone who would take them to get signed and stamped.

"Understood," Noa said, flipping through them. "I'll do my best to get them finished as soon as possible, Mr. ..." She trailed off, suddenly embarrassed.

"Cifer. Ulquiorra Cifer, head of the courier and managing department in the Las Noches division." He held out his hand, and Noa shook it.

"My name is Ueshima Noa. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." The green-eyed man nodded, then turned. "Get them done, Ueshima Noa. It's of the utmost importance."

Watching him go, Noa raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled. _'Strange people work in the Las Noches building.' _Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as a printer suddenly went up in smoke when a man in glasses started yelling profanities and hitting it with his keyboard.

_'But then again,'_ she thought while smiling, _'Strange people work here as well.'_

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading. I know it's starting out a little slow, but be patient. The first hints of pairings shall start showing up soon, I promise.<strong>

**By the way, butternut squash ravioli are delicious. You should try them. **_  
><em>


	3. Can't Fight the Moonlight

**First off, thank you to the people who reviewed/put on story alert, etc..I appreciate it!**

**I'm sorry this one took a while-I started school last week and my teachers are BIG on the homework. So, I'm just going to tell you that I am going to be busy during the weekdays, but I'll write when I can.**

**Also, my choir class has been invited to sing in Hawaii in December, and we need to raise a lot of money to go...So I'll be busy most weekends too. But I'll write when I can!**

**I'm sorry this one is a little shorter than the last, but I hope you enjoy it. Also, I changed the summary to explain the plot a little better. So if you're wondering about that, that's why.  
><strong>

**Warnings: Bad words and a bit of OOC'ness. It's and AU plot, so it's expected.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

><p>"Oi, Ulquiorra! Where you been?"<p>

Sighing, Ulquiorra looked up from his computer monitor. He had returned from the Gotei building intent on getting to work on his_ own_department's reports, but apparently his colleagues had something else in mind for him. If there was one thing he hated, it was being interrupted.

"I was delivering Yammy's reports to the Editorial department at the Gotei division, Grimmjow," he stated flatly. The blue-haired man who had come waltzing into his office frowned.

"Why'd you deliver it? Shouldn't that be Yammy's job?" Grimmjow lounged against Ulquiorra's door frame, arms crossed over his chest. "Ain't like you to play messenger boy..."

"They were important reports, too important to have just anyone take them," Ulquiorra replied, green eyes flashing. "Besides, I'm head of the Management and Courier Department. 'Playing messenger boy' is my job, to put it roughly."

"Frankly, I'm baffled as to why Aizen gave the fool a head position. I'm surprised he remembers how to spell his name correctly," Ulquiorra finished, sounding annoyed. Grimmjow smirked in response, leaning away from the door frame in order to enter the room.

"True. Anyways, I came because Shawlong mentioned you had the forms giving us the okay to start on the Tsuyumiya project-GAH!" Grimmjow jumped as a thin white hand creeped up over his shoulder like a five-legged spider.

"Goddamnit, Ichimaru! Don't fucking do that, you creepy bastard!" Grimmjow shouted at the ever- grinning silver-haired man, rubbing his shoulder and shuddering. "Ya know, normal people usually don't do those kinds of things!"

Gin pouted, placing a hand on his hip. "You get too angry, Grimmjow. I was only trying to say hello..."

"Then tap my shoulder, don't grope it! Fucking hell..." And with that he stomped out of Ulquiorra's office, muttering obscenities the entire way.

Rolling his eyes, Ulquiorra fought the urge to begin banging his head on his desk. It was barely noon and already his day was ruined by idiots. Leaning back into his chair, he looked up at Gin. "Is there something you _need_, Ichimaru? Or did you simply come here to creep Grimmjow out?"

"Actually," Gin replied, sitting on one of the straight-backed chairs in front of Ulquiorra's desk, "There's somethin' I wanna ask you. Wha' do ya think of when ya hear the name 'Ueshima'?" Ever since his brief talk with Aizen that morning, Gin had been pondering the man's motives for requesting information on the young woman from the Gotei division. The leader of Las Noches had said it was nothing, just a passing curiosity, but Gin was still curious. After unsuccessfully trying to figure out what her last name might represent, he had decided to ask others-starting with Ulquiorra.

"Ueshima..." Ulquiorra mumbled. _'Why does that name seem familiar?'_He tapped his long, thin fingers against his leg until it struck him. "There's a woman in the Editorial and Publishing department in the Gotei building with that surname," he said slowly. "She said she was Hisagi Shūhei's assistant for this week. I gave her the botched reports that Yammy submitted for proof-reading and correction. Why, is she important?"

Gin's grin grew wider, a feat Ulquiorra had thought impossible.

"Important? No, not especially." The fox like man stood, smiling down at the confused man. "Thanks, Ulquiorra! See ya later!"

Watching the thin man leave, Ulquiorra shook his head and sighed again. "The people who work here are idiots." Picking up the papers Grimmjow had wanted, he decided to drop them off and go get some lunch. _'Playing messenger boy is my specialty, after all...'_

* * *

><p>"...and are you completely <em>insane<em>? You call _this_ a draft? This is crap! This is a huge, stinking, steaming pile of- What? Don't you _dare_hang up on m-" Shūhei slammed the phone down and looked up. "He hung up on me!"

Noa looked up from the reports Mr. Cifer had delivered, nibbling on the end of her pen. "Well, you _were_screaming obscenties and insulting his ability to pull together a cohesive draft...along with several rather crude questions concerning his sexual decency and whether or not his mother had mated with a goat, sir." Looking back down at the reports, she coughed quietly. "Frankly, I admire his patience. If that had been me I would have hung up on you ages ago."

Frowning, Shūhei rubbed the back of his head. "Well, yeah, maybe I could have omitted about two-thirds of that rant, but it's hell week! Iemura knows how back-logged we are, and he still sends me shoddy reports! I swear, when I see him I'm going to shove this crap right back up the hole it came out of!" Picking up his clipboard, he stomped to the door, apparently deciding to take his frustration out on the rest of the department. "Ikeda! Where's that manuscript I gave you?"

Sighing, Noa rubbed her temples. She liked working here so far, but she couldn't wait for this week to be over._ 'I wonder how long it'll be until I get my own desk. I can't stay in Shūhei's office forever.'_Tapping her pen against the desk, she studied the reports she had been working on for the last hour. Ulquiorra was right, whoever Aizen had appointed to head of whatever department these were from obviously had no idea what he was doing. There were mistakes Noa hadn't seen since high school; misspelled words she had mastered in third grade, improper grammar and butchered sentence structure that would make an illiterate man cry. Honestly, it had gotten to the point where she had wanted to march over to the Las Noches division and slap whoever had written this.

_'I can't do that, though. Might run into Aizen...'_Although she doubted he was the kind of boss one would meet walking through the halls, Noa didn't feel like almost dying two days in a row. Once was enough for her.

Remembering she had a job to do, Noa stretched, undoing the kinks in her neck._ 'This job is going to be a lot of bending over desks...I wonder if there's a chiropractor on this side of town. An affordable one...'_Her job was going to pay well, with a significant rise if and when she got promoted, but those days were still a long way off. Her meals still consisted of a good helping of frozen mashed potatoes she could stick in her microwave. Not exactly healthy or tasty, but she had gotten used to it.

"Oh well. I'll just take some pain reliever later." She smiled softly, returning her pen to add to the marks already dotting the reports.

* * *

><p>"Good afta'noon, Rangiku!"<p>

The busty woman jumped, strawberry blonde hair whipping across her face as she turned sharply. "Gin! Don't scare me like that!" Crossing her arms (a considerable effort, what with her sizable chest and all), she frowned at the skinny man standing in her doorway. "You shouldn't be here, you know. Toshirō gets angry when he sees you, and he never lets me go early when he's angry!"

Gin grinned. "I know...tha' little guy hates my guts. I still dunno what I did ta' him to make him so...unfriendly towards a guy like me. I'ma nice guy, truly!"

Snorting, Rangiku leaned back into her cushy chair. "Well, for starters you _did_leave the Gotei division to join into a partnership with a man who makes babies cry and a blind guy with some questionable fashion habits. Plus, you aren't exactly the epitome of friendship and good relations, Gin. Smiling like that all the time doesn't really give you a "cuddly" vibe."

Waving her insults off like gnats, Gin placed his chin in his hands, leaning over her desk. "Tha' might be true, but it's not wha' I came for. I heard there's a new employee workin' in tha ninth division and I was wonderin' what ya knew about 'em."

Brow furrowing, Rangiku thought for a moment. "Well...there's this girl who was following Shūhei around...do you mean her?" Rangiku hardly remembered anything about the young lady, other than the fact that she had volunteered to take something to Aizen and actually returned afterwards.

"Tha' might be her. Was her name Ueshima Noa by any chance?" Gin drummed his fingers against the gleaming wood of Rangiku's desk. Honestly, the woman never got straight to the point when it really mattered.

"That's it!" Rangiku grinned. "Noa...I remember thinking it was a weird name, especially for such a wispy woman. Doesn't really scream 'elegance', does it?" Pouting slightly, she crossed her arms over her chest again. "Why'd you come all the way over here to ask about her, Gin? Aizen doesn't want anything to do with her, does he?" She hardly knew Noa, but Rangiku wouldn't wish Aizen's curiosity (or wrath, both were pretty terrible) on anyone. Well, maybe on a couple of her ex-boyfriends, but Gin had already seen to them.

"Nah," Gin said ceasing the drumming of his fingers. "Just a passin' curiosity. Somethin' tha Cap'n said just piqued my interest s'all." Standing, he loosened his tie, smiling down at his longest friend. It wasn't one of his creepy smiles either, it was a real one.

"You're leaving already?" Rangiku asked, looking upset. Gin nodded, turning for the door. "Yep! See ya later, Rangiku. Oh, and say hi to 'Shirou for me!"

Her door closed with a click, and Rangiku sighed, thoroughly disappointed. Before he had shown up, she was so bored she thought she might start to actually fill out some paperwork. Now what excuse did she have for procrastinating?

"This stinks."

* * *

><p><em>'Well...that was certainly uninformative...' <em>Somewhat disappointed that he hadn't gained any real knowledge, Gin stepped slowly down to the tenth floor's elevator. Usually Rangiku was a good source of corporate gossip, but apparently this Ueshima woman wasn't the type people gossiped about. He could attempt a trip to the editorial department in order to wheedle out information, but the risk that she'd find out he was asking about her was too great. The ninth floor was full of journalists, people whose job it was to spread information. Not the easiest place to try and be discreet.

Pushing the call button for the elevator, Gin stroked his narrow chin. He liked to think he knew Aizen pretty well, but right now the man had gotten him wondering just what his intentions were. Aizen hadn't elaborated on anything when Gin had asked, but there was something in his voice that Gin wanted to uncover. Besides, he had nothing better to do.

As the elevator slid open with a 'ding', Gin strode inside. _'Back to the office I go...Mmm, it's lunchtime. Maybe I can convince tha' Cap'n to go to that little cafe with me. They have a persimmon sorbet I've been dyin' to try...'_

* * *

><p>"Loly, have you seen Gin? He was supposed to meet me here twenty minutes ago," Aizen asked the youthful looking young woman standing in his doorway. Gin wasn't exactly known for his unreliability, so his absence was a little strange.<p>

"No, sir. I saw him this morning when he arrived at the office, and haven't seen him since." Loly pushed a gleaming lock of hair behind the electronic earpiece she wore while in the office. It allowed her to answer calls while anywhere in the building, but she disliked the fact that it didn't fit around some of her favorite hairstyles. She had taken to wearing pigtails, which were cute but a little childish. Menoli, the other top floor secretary, often chastised her overly concerned attitude about fashion. Loly hardly paid attention, though, so Menoli's attempts to lessen Loly's promiscuity failed.

"I see," Aizen murmured, sliding in his chair so that he supported his chin on one arm. Inside, Loly squealed in delight. She had been infatuated with Aizen since high school, and had done everything possible in order to gain the position she was in now. Some of the things she had done would make a grandmother cry, but Loly regretted nothing. Aizen was worth it...even if he hardly glanced in her direction.

Coughing slightly into her fist, Loly brushed ever invisible lint off her slightly unbuttoned top. "Would you like me to check his office, sir? Or perhaps send someone to look downstairs?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Aizen replied. "I'm sure he'll show up eventually."

"Who'll show up eventually, Cap'n?" Gin asked, striding past a surprised Loly. A wide grin stretched across his face. "Ya wouldn't happen ta be talkin' about _me_, now would ya?"

Aizen smirked, straightening in his chair. "It's good manners to show up on time when your boss asks you to, Gin. Where have you been?" Waving his hand at Loly, he signaled for the young woman to leave. Loly bowed shortly and left, the door shutting quietly behind her.

"_Well_," Gin drawled, pulling up a chair. Turning it around backwards, he leaned against the back and placed his chin on his hands. "First I went ta go talk to Ulquiorra, and then I went an' visited Rangiku. And now I'm back, hopin' you'll go get some lunch with me."

Narrowing his eyes, Aizen cocked an elegant eyebrow. "Why did you go visit Matsumoto? I was under the impression you worked here, not at the Gotei Division. We've no place there now, Gin."

"I know, I know...I jus' wanted to ask her a few questions, tha's all. No harm done."

Aizen sighed. "Is this about that Ueshima girl? I told you it was nothing, Gin. There's no need to go snooping around."

_'But there is, isn't there,_' Gin thought quietly to himself, laying his head down onto his arms. _'I can see it in your eyes, Sousuke. There's something about that girl that put you off.'_

Letting out a dramatic sigh, Gin pouted. "Fine. You never let me have any fun, Cap'n." Raising his head, Gin stuck out his tongue. "How 'bout some lunch, then? I know this new place that jus' opened up. Real discreet and quiet, no paparazzi." Fans and reporters were, more often than not, a huge problem for the more famous heads of department at Seireitei Inc. They were like celebrities in the business world, as distant and untouchable as a god.

Aizen thought it over for a moment. "That sounds fine," he replied slowly. "Give me a minute to finish things up and I'll meet you downstairs. Call my driver, will you?"

"What, you don't trust my drivin'?" Gin asked playfully.

"Not in the slightest. One may be able to walk with his eyes shut, but driving is a completely different matter altogether."

"'Spose you're right."

"Of course I am."

* * *

><p>"Ueshima! It's lunchtime, you know!" Shūhei stuck his head inside his office, pointing to the clock on the wall. Noa looked up from the newly finished reports, and saw that half of her lunch break was already over.<p>

"Oops. I didn't even notice," she said, standing and stretching. She had been working on the reports from the Las Noches division for the better part of her day. She had less than four hours of work left, and she had barely noticed the time going by.

Frowning slightly, Shūhei crossed his arms. "You should pay better attention. If I hadn't come in here, you would've missed lunch altogether. There are people who collapse from hunger and overwork all the time. Don't feel so pressured."

Smiling weakly, Noa nodded. He was right; she needed to keep her strength up. When she was younger her immune system hadn't been the best, and she didn't want to risk getting sick. Her job was too important.

_'It's nice of him to look out for me,'_ Noa thought inwardly. _'Even if he is a little uncouth at times.'_

"You done with those?" Shūhei asked, nodding to the papers in her hands. When Noa nodded, he reached for them. "Good. I'll see they get sent over to the Las Noches division while you go get something to eat."

Handing the papers over, Noa bid him farewell and left the office. Making her way downstairs, she rubbed under her eyes, wiping away any smudged eyeliner that might have accumulated there. She didn't wear much make-up at all, opting for more of a natural look, but she did apply a thin layer of mascara and eyeliner to accentuate her eyes. She had often been complimented on them, and decided that it was okay to make them appear a bit more noticeable. She was rather proud of the blue color and long lashes she had inherited from her mother.

As the elevator reached the bottom floor, Noa departed and made her way to the cafeteria. _'I'll eat more today,'_ she decided,_ 'Since I'm not being treated to dinner tonight.'_ Grabbing a fresh salad and a green tea, she sat by herself at one of the tables. As lunch was nearing a close, there weren't many people left in the cafeteria. _'Kind of lonely,'_she remarked, noticing the empty tables and chairs. Noa hadn't had much experience with loneliness until she had started living on her own. Before, she had been surrounded by friends from high school and the university. Here, she hardly knew anyone on even a semi-personal level, and her apartment building wasn't much better. There weren't very many people her age in that area of the city.

_'Maybe I should get a pet,'_ she mused. _'Mother would say "get a boyfriend", but I don't feel like saddling myself to a relationship right now. I've got too much going on.'_ Picking at her salad, she sighed._ 'I don't want to be single forever, though. Some of my friends are already getting married.'_ In fact, she was invited to a wedding later this spring. One of her best friends from high school was getting married, and Noa had promised to come. She hadn't thought seriously about settling down until later on in life, but now she was wondering if that had been the right decision. She had boyfriends in the past, but marriage felt far out of reach at the moment._ 'Right now, I'll just concentrate on work,'_ she decided firmly. _'Just go with the flow...'_

* * *

><p>Aizen followed Gin into the small cafe the man had discovered, quietly approving of the silent atmosphere and obscure location. It was small, clean, quiet and relatively unheard of. Perfect.<p>

"I've heard they have a great sorbet selection," Gin said, taking off his suit jacket and laying it across the back of his chair. Aizen did the same, unloosening his tie as he sat.

"I'll just have a salad, tossed with olive oil and vinegar, and some chai tea. With vanilla," he added, speaking to the waitress who had approached them as they sat. She nodded, scribbling on her notepad. "And you, sir?" She asked politely, turning to Gin.

"I'll have a helping of the persimmon sorbet. Oh, an' pomegranate juice." Gin smiled up at the young lady, and she suppressed a shiver. Gin had a habit of doing that.

"R-right away," she stuttered, turning and heading to the counter. Aizen sighed, looking out the window to his right. It looked out over a small square, dotted with tastefully trimmed hedges and trees. They were in the far eastern corner of the city, in one of the wealthier and considerably less populated districts. Aizen wondered briefly if there were apartments or flats for sale; he wouldn't mind staying here once or twice.

"Nice, isn't it?" Gin commented, looking out at the view. A couple walked past the window, hand in hand and looking positively in love. Smiling, Gin turned to Aizen. "Why don't you get married, Cap'n? Sometimes you seem a little...unsatisfied. And when I think about it, the only thing yer missin' in life is a woman."

Leaning back in his chair, Aizen looked at his silver-haired companion. "I've thought about it once or twice," he admitted, laying one arm on the table. "But the more I think upon it, the more I'm convinced the married life isn't for me."

It wasn't like he had never been in a relationship, no, that wasn't the case at all. He had maintained several relationships over the course of his life, all of them with famous celebrities and heiresses. Some of them were quiet scandalous, really, only adding to his fame. But marriage wasn't something he fancied. It just never felt right to him.

Shrugging, Gin drummed his fingers against the table. "Suit yourself." In truth, he was a little disappointed. He'd always wondered how Aizen would change if he actually _tried_ to care about someone. _'Looks like that's never gonna happen...' _The waitress appeared at their table, balancing their dishes on a platter. She set their drinks and foods down in front of the, bowing slightly and hurrying away.

Picking up his spoon, Gin took a generous helping of the bright orange sorbet. "Delicious!" He exclaimed, tongue darting out to lick along the frozen treat. Aizen shook his head in amusement and sipped his flavorful tea. _'The things this man says...'_

* * *

><p><em> "-<em>And then he mentioned a woman! Someone named Ueshima," Loly whined to Menoli in a hushed tone. "Aizen said it was nothing, but I don't believe it!"

Sighing, the blonde pixie-haired Menoli looked up from her computer screen. Loly was perched on her desk, legs swinging. "If he said it was nothing, then I'm sure it's nothing. You shouldn't have been listening at his door anyways."

Pouting, Loly glared. "I was curious. Besides, don't you want to know what Ichimaru was talking about? He seemed _awfully _disappointed that Aizen wasn't more interested..." Shaking her head, Menoli clicked her mouse furiously.

"No, I don't! Whatever Ichimaru's gotten into, it's probably not pleasant. Just stay out of it, okay?" She was annoyed with Loly and her obsession with Aizen, but she was also worried. One could get hurt when snooping in affairs centered around Aizen. She herself had harbored a crush on him long ago, but snuffed it out when the risks outweighed the benefits. It wasn't like Aizen went after woman like her and Loly anyways.

Rolling her eyes, Loly hopped off the blonde's desk and began to walk to her end of the long hallway. "You're just a paranoid little girl, Menoli. I _know_ something's up, and I'm gonna figure it out."

Watching the dark-haired woman leave, Menoli sighed sadly. "Be careful."

* * *

><p><em> 'Oh, my feet hurt. I can't wait until I take these shoes off...'<em> Noa complained to herself inwardly as she hobbled down the street. The sun was falling on her second day of work, and all she could think about was getting home.

She had finished up several papers Shūhei had left over, and left work a little after six. The train ride had been crowded with business people going home, civilians getting on and off work, and university students commuting to night classes. Once again all the seats were taken by elderly people and little children. The noises and smells were almost overwhelming after her quiet, uneventful day at work.

Finally reaching her apartment, Noa climbed the stairs, wincing as her sore feet throbbed. "I wish ballet flats were considered 'work attire'," she muttered, reaching her door. Unlocking it, she stumbled inside her darkened living space and unstrapped the torture devices strapped to her feet. "Aaaaaaaaah..." she let out a huge sigh and collapsed onto a chair. "Finally...I can feel my toes again..."

After resting, she resumed her nightly routine of bathing and getting ready for bed. She wasn't particularly hungry, but she grabbed an apple to tide her over in case she felt hungry later. Grabbing a book, she jumped into bed, deciding to read until she fell asleep.

Faintly, she wondered what a man like Aizen did on his nights. Was he alone? Or perhaps he mingled with other wealthy famous people like himself. Shrugging, she opened the dogged paged book and settled into her pillow. _'He's a wealthy man. I'm sure he has plenty of distractions from the monotony of the normal world.'_

* * *

><p>Across the city, Aizen lay in his bed, arms crossed behind his head. After his lunch with Gin, the man's words had wove themselves in and out of his mind for the rest of the day. <em>'You seem...unsatisfied. The only thing yer missin' in life is a woman...'<em>

_ 'Am I missing something?'_ Aizen wondered. _'My life is full of riches and amusement. There is never a dull moment, and I am in reach of anything I could ever want. And yet...'_ Turning onto his side, he pressed a button on a small remote that slid open the skylight above his bed. The moon shone above him, a silver slice of light pulling his thoughts away like the tide. _'I could have the moon if I wanted it...That mysterious lady in the sky...'_ Closing his eyes, a face flashed before him, drawing him into a dreaming sleep.

_ 'As unreachable and unattainable as the moon...'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thank you for reading. Review if you feel inclined to do so.<strong>  
><em>


	4. A Mother's Concern

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/etc..!**

**This one is a bit longer than the others, and has more Aizen/Noa interaction. Please enjoy!**

**Warnings: Bad words and a bit of OOC'ness...It's an AU plot so it's expected.**

* * *

><p>The next couple of days went by in a muffled blur. Noa resumed her work in Shūhei's office, correcting, writing and getting to know the people in the department better. Several of them had invited her to go get some drinks after work, but Noa always refused. She was usually pretty exhausted at the end of the day, and had never been much of a drinker anyways. A quiet night at home was how she wanted to spend her evenings, even if they were a bit lonely.<p>

So when she woke up on Friday morning, she expected her day to go on like the last four had. Yawning, she squinted from the light dawning through her curtained window and sat up, rubbing the side of her face where it had become compressed by her pillow. She had begun to unwind her hair from the braid she had plaited it into the night before when she noticed the screen of her phone was lit up from a voice-mail notification.

_'A voice-mail? Who called me?_' While it wasn't unusual for her to get calls, they were usually made sometime during the height of the day, never in the middle of the night. Abandoning her hair for the moment, she picked up the phone, unlocking it and placing it to her ear.

_'You have one new voice-mail. To listen to the message, press one.'_ Noa followed the automated directions, scratching her arm in a bored fashion. _'One new message, sent at one-thirty seven a.m.'_Scrunching her nose in confusion and annoyance, Noa briefly wondered who would call her at one-thirty seven and expected her to be conscious enough to answer it.

_'Hello, Noa darling! It's your mother-'_

Oh. That's who.

_'-and I'm calling because you have neglected to do so to me for the past week! You promised you'd keep in touch, darling. I was getting so worried!' _

Noa shook her head. She loved her mother, but sometimes she felt a little smothered. She was a grown woman now, perfectly able to take care of herself. Sighing, she listened to the rest of the message.

_'Any-who, I wanted to ask you if you'd grace me with your presence this upcoming evening. There's something I want to talk to you about, something rather important. Just drop by after work, dear, that'll be enough. Hope to see you!'_The message was ended by a smacking noise Noa presumed to be a kiss. Erasing the message, Noa sighed once more. She didn't want to go, but what choice did she have? It was her mother, after all.

"Crap," Noa murmured, getting out of bed. She grumbled her way through dressing and putting her hair up in a halfway decent twist, leaving the apartment almost an hour and a half earlier than she usually did._ 'I'll have to ask Shūhei if I can leave earlier. I'll have to take a taxi to mom's house, the train doesn't go through that part of town. What a hassle...'_Blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face, she walked the distance to the train station, heels clicking and legs rubbing together slightly in her navy blue pencil skirt. She preferred blues, grays and whites when it came to her clothing style, although she did wear earth tones and pastels at times. She wasn't a fan bright colors, especially when it came to professional attire.

The train station was crowded as always, and she stepped into her usual boarding line with the same monotony as the last few days. She was very early for her usual train, Noa realized. _'There's one arriving in nine minutes, but how am I going to spend the extra forty minutes I have before I'm due in the office?'_ As if in reply, her stomach began to rumble. _'I forgot to grab something to eat...maybe I'll do that when I arrive. There's a little bakery near the Dangai station. I can splurge on a little breakfast today.'_Letting out a bored breath, Noa shifted as a rumbling signaled the arrival of the train. After going through the usual boarding hassle, she settled near the doors, bracing her toes for the standing ride.

To keep herself from falling asleep, Noa had devised little activities to keep her mind occupied. One of them was looking around at the people situated in their various spots and guessing where they were going. Sometimes it was easy, for instance it was almost obvious the people in business attire were most likely heading to some office while the teens in school uniforms were headed off to another tedious day of school. The old lady with the basket and pocket book was most likely off to a market while the young man with the laptop and messenger bag was probably heading to his mornings first lecture at a university. People like this were the ones who usually populated the trains, but sometimes she caught a glimpse of someone who was harder to place.

Standing three people down was a graying man with a stubbly beard in a long white lab coat. Noa wasn't sure if he was a doctor or some sort of scientist. Wouldn't someone in that profession most likely have a car to drive to work? And this man seemed pretty well seasoned. Why was he riding a train?

Directly across from her sat a young woman in an all black pantsuit, a heavily clasped suitcase on her lap. She wore dark sunglasses and heavy looking boots. She reminded Noa of a spy or a secret agent, and she could only guess what might be in the suitcase.

_'Now arriving at Dangai Station. Ple-'_The announcement shook Noa out of her reverie, and she disembarked the vessel with a small smile on her face. She never looked to see what the doctor/scientist or the secret agent woman did when they left the train- she liked the mystery.

Up ahead she could see the bakery tucked in between a travel agency and a bookstore. As she drew closer, she could smell the delicious scent of fresh baked breads and pastries. Her mouth began to water and her stomach rumbled even louder as she pushed open the door and stepped inside. The bells at the top of the door rang merrily and as Noa stepped inside she was greeted with a lovely atmosphere. It was a small bakery but obviously popular; there were a lot of people throughout the small dining area. The place was clean and painted a beautiful peach color, and towards the back Noa could see several glass display cases filled with succulent baked goods.

She stepped into line behind a thin black-haired man who was currently ordering. Noa's eyes examined the foods in the cases before deciding she'd have one of the small sweet loafs in the back. Maybe some tea to go with it.

"Here you are, Mr. Cifer. One plain croissant and a medium coffee with room for cream. The usual." The young employee at the counter handed a small bag and a to-go cup to the man in front of her. Noa raised a brow in recognition of the name._ 'Fancy meeting him here...'_Clearing her throat, she stepped back slightly as the man turned from the counter.

"Miss Ueshima," he said flatly, clutching his breakfast in his hands. "Good morning."

"Uh, you too, sir," Noa said quickly, smiling slightly. The man nodded, shifting the weight of his coffee around in his hand.

"I was impressed with the reports I got back. You're not up to Hisagi's speed or skill, but I can tell you have a talent for your chosen field," Ulquiorra said, green eyes staring. Remembering to have enough grace to be modest, Noa bowed slightly. "Thank you, sir. I'm glad I was able to help."

Nodding once more, Ulquiorra stepped past her. "Keep up the good work, Ueshima. No doubt I'll have to call upon your department again, especially if Yammy continues to butcher the simplest of task." With that he left, leaving Noa feeling a bit discomforted but slightly pleased from the compliment.

"Can I help you?" The girl behind the counter spoke up, and Noa stepped up to the counter. "Sorry," Noa said quietly. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting." The girl just smiled, waving her hand. She had impossibly long, beautiful orange hair and huge gray eyes. Noa also noticed a name-tag with 'Orihime Inoue' written in a flowy script on her uniform. A very filled out uniform, to say the least. The girl was extremely well endowed.

"That's okay. Mr. Cifer comes in here every morning and hardly ever talks. It's nice to know he can go beyond just ordering." Noa smiled at the young girl's response, and pointed to loaf she had been eying. "I'll have that, with a small ginger tea."

Orihime nodded, tapping on her computer to put the order in. "One small sweet loaf and a small tea. That'll be three seventy-five." Noa handed over exact change and waited as the vibrant young woman filled her order.

_'So Mr. Cifer comes in here every morning...I never would have guessed.'_ Looking around, she noticed that most of the patrons were men._ 'Maybe this Orihime has something to do with it. She's certainly very pretty.' _Biting her lower lip, Noa discreetly pulled her blouse with a small tug. She wasn't unhappy with her breast size, but one couldn't help feeling inadequate around buxom women. Noa figured Rangiku Matsumoto had the same effect on people.

'Here you go!' Noa accepted her food and receipt and left the bakery, tearing off a piece of the bread as she went. Leaning on one of the stone walls surrounding the different landscaping pieces, Noa wolfed down her food in what she knew must be a rather unladylike manner, but she didn't care.

_'I'd better get going,'_Noa thought as she finished her tea. Dusting off the back of her skirt, she made her way from the station towards the gleaming buildings in the distance.

* * *

><p>Aizen had woken up in a foul mood. First, his sleeping mind had woven in and out of dreams that he had forgotten as soon as he had started awake at the crack of dawn, but had left him with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Second, the person who stocked his cabinets every week had once again forgotten to pick up his specially ordered tea bags so he had to settle for a cheaper domestic brand, only adding to the disruption of his regular morning schedule. Needless to say, when he entered the Las Noches building a quarter after nine the few employees slinked into the shadows to hide from the overwhelming aura coming off the annoyed man.<p>

He rode the elevator to the top floor where he was greeted by Loly. The young woman bowed so low that he could see down her unbuttoned blouse, which was probably intentional. Aizen wasn't stupid; he knew the woman harbored a deep infatuation for him. He just never acted on it. Loly wasn't his type. He didn't exactly discourage her affections, though, for they made for good manipulation techniques. Years of experience had made him an expert at manipulating emotions.

"Cancel all my appointments and any that come in," he instructed his secretary. Loly opened her mouth as if to say something but apparently decided against it. "Yes, sir."

He wasn't in the mood for much of anything today, so he merely gave a nod of approval and ventured into his office. Unlike the rest of the building, the top floors and their offices had quite a bit of color thrown into the monotony of the white. For instance, his office had blood red curtains, and the floor was a gleaming, polished wood. This habit probably carried over from his days in the Gotei Division, where his office had been in the same style.

Sighing, he sat in his chair, spinning around to look out the window. The view was as glorious as always, and the air was clear enough to see the sparkle of the bay across the city. It was turning out to be a beautiful spring day...So why did he feel like he was stuck in the dead of winter?

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he turned away from the bright city to his desk, deciding to drown the bad mood in paperwork. It always seemed to help.

* * *

><p>"You need to go early today?" Shūhei said from his desk. He had been staring intently at his computer screen when Noa had walked in to ask if she could leave earlier. When she had arrived that morning, the office had been in an uproar. Apparently the CEO's upstairs had moved the publishing department's deadline up to the following Monday, six day's sooner than they had anticipated. As such, the entire morning and afternoon had been dedicated to rushed corrections and massive printings. No one had used their lunch break until now, five in the evening. The entire floor was empty save for Shūhei, Noa and a few diehards still tapping away in their respective stations.<p>

"Yes. I would have asked earlier, when I arrived, but I got caught up in the rush. I figured now would be the best time," Noa said, rubbing her hands together. They were stained from ink; she had been helping Nami in printing for the greater part of the afternoon.

"Hmmm..." Shūhei leaned away from his computer, looking up at a hopeful Noa. Part of her wished he'd say no so she'd have an excuse to refuse her mother's invitation, but she was very tired and really just felt like leaving. Rubbing the back of his head, Shūhei yawned. "Yeah, go ahead. You got a lot done today, so you can leave early. Just don't tell anyone where you're going or they'll all want the evening off."

Smiling, Noa nodded and bowed. "Thank you, sir. Tomorrow's my day off, so I'll see you on Sunday." Leaving the office, she picked up her briefcase and made for the elevator.

After reaching the bottom floor, she pulled out her phone and called one of the city's taxi companies. The driver would be here in about ten minutes, so Noa went to go stand out on the huge drop-off/get-on area in front of the building compound. In the distance she could hear the roar of the freeway as it wound around the Seireitei Inc. buildings and onto the rest of the city. Luckily, most taxi drivers knew their way around the city and she wouldn't have to be subjected to a terrifying freeway ride this evening.

As the taxi pulled up, she went up to the door and slid inside. The driver was separated from her by a clear glass window, but she could tell he was visually reassured by the fact she was a woman and not some hulking, intimidating man. Being a taxi driver must be terrifying at times.

"Uh, east side, third district. I'll give you the address as we get closer," she informed the youthful looking man, who merely nodded. As the car pulled away from the curb, Noa let out a tired yawn and settled back into the seat. Her childhood home was in the far eastern corner of the city, in one of the higher districts. Noa hadn't been there in almost three months, which wasn't a terribly long time for her but must have felt like three years for her social mother. Honestly, the woman could be downright needy at times, but Noa felt bad for her. It hadn't been like that until her father had died.

"I'm on my way, mom..."

* * *

><p>"What'sa matter, Cap'n? Someone put soy sauce in your tea again?" Gin called cheerfully as he sauntered into Aizen's office. Behind him, a dark skinned man in a smoky gray suit followed. Kaname Tousen, head of the Information and Justice Department was a serious man, but he was also a great man to work under. He was a good mentor to some of the younger employees and had churned out some of the country's best lawyers, despite the fact that he was blind. It didn't seem to hamper his professional ability in the slightest, something Aizen had thought extremely useful.<p>

"As I recall it," Tousen said, standing off to the side of Aizen's desk and crossing his arms, "The person who did that the last time wasn't around for very long after we had found out who it was. I doubt anyone would attempt the same thing again."

Shrugging, Gin tucked his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "I thought it was funny."

"You were laughing so hard you stopped breathing. We had to call Szayel in to revive you," Tousen added. "If I remember correctly, Aizen wasn't very pleased to have you passed out on his floor, Ichimaru."

"You didn't see 'is face! When he spat the tea out all over 'is computer and those reports...I could'a died laughin'!"

"If only you had."

"What's tha' supposed ta mean?"

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Aizen looked up from his desk and placed his cheek in his hand. Tousen and Gin were always arguing over something, and it got a little tiring at times. "Is there something you two wanted? I was enjoying the silence."

Clearing his throat, Tousen turned from a pouting Gin and bowed shortly. "I apologize. I-We came to see if you were still planning on attending the Benefactor's Gala this evening. We have a car waiting outside."

"Say you'll go, Cap'n. Last time it was jus' me and Tousen and that was no fun _at all,_" Gin added, sitting in one of the chairs.

Sighing, Aizen rubbed his eyes. "I suppose I have to. I skipped out on the last two, and I doubt the investors were very happy."

Tousen cleared his throat again. "They weren't, sir. Especially when Gin knocked Lady Arakida into the bar and subsequently escaped through the window."

"Twas an accident. Purely unintended," Gin said quickly. "'sides, that dress she was wearin' looked ten times better covered in strawberry mango daiquiri."

"See what I mean?" Tousen exclaimed in exasperation. "You're the only one capable of reining in this man."

Aizen looked from a sheepish Gin to a rather annoyed Tousen and sighed again. "Very well. I'll go." Standing, he pulled his jacket from the back of his chair and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll leave the rest of the day's work to you, Tousen."

"Yes, sir."

"Come, Gin."

"Yes, Cap'n."

* * *

><p>Noa reluctantly handed over a hand full of bills to the taxi driver, silently cursing her mom for making her come all the way here for what was probably going to be a pointless visit. As the now considerably wealthier taxi driver drove away, Noa turned to face her mother's door. She was now in the suburb she had grown up in, and memories came rushing back. The ornate gate and fence surrounding the two story, Victorian-esque house were almost the same as when they had moved in when she was five, save for the jasmine and wisteria growing up and around it, which was quite a bit thicker and taller.<p>

The gate still creaked when she opened it, and the walkway going up to the front steps were freshly swept. The grass and gardens were impeccably trimmed and taken care of, and the house was brightly painted and homey looking. Just walking up to it made Noa feel bad for her poor, unglamorous apartment.

The door was tall and white, with polished brass handles. It was inlaid with frosty glass and a lotus motif in the center made of steel bars. Pushing the chiming doorbell, Noa rocked back and forth on her heels, sucking in air and letting it out again between clenched teeth.

"Coming, coming! No, no, Momoe, I'll get it! I'm perfectly able to answer my own door!" The door opened with a small squeak and Noa was suddenly faced with a older, taller version of herself.

"Hi, mom."

"Noa, darling!" Her mother squealed, pulling the startled girl in for a tight hug and many kisses atop her head. "How have you been? It's been so long, No-no, too long!"

Wincing at her nickname, Noa smiled weakly. "Yeah...I've been okay." Pulling away from her mother's clutch, she stepped inside the house. "Hello, Momoe. It's nice to see you again."

"You too dear," the graying woman said, peeking from the kitchen doorway. Momoe was one of the people her mother had employed to help clean the house and such after Noa's father had died. She was a kind, sweet woman, almost like a second, less enthusiastic mother.

"Tea, please, Momoe! Bring it in to the parlor," Ueshima Etsuko cried, pulling Noa down the hallway. "Come, dear, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Slipping her heels off as they entered the parlor, Noa collapsed on the familiar couch, relaxing against the soft cushions and wiggled her toes. It was kind of nice, being back in such a beloved place. She had a lot of good memories connected with this house. She had a fair share of sad ones as well, but Noa tried to look on the positive side of things.

"What did you want to talk about?" Noa said tiredly, gazing up at the vaulted ceiling. The sound of glasses clinking together made her sit forward, smiling at Momoe as she was handed a steaming, fragrant cup of tea.

Smiling, Etsuko sipped her tea for a few lingering seconds and set the fragile cup back down on the matching plate. "Well, dear, I was actually thinking about several things that I wanted to talk to you about, but I settled on one for this evening." Clearing her throat, she set the cup and plate down and placed her hands in her lap in a graceful manner.

"You are twenty-one, Noa, and must start thinking about your future-"

Rolling her eyes, Noa set down her own cup. "Mom, we've talked about this. I _have_ been thinking about my future. That's why I joined Seireitei Inc., I can only go up from where I am now." Etsuko shook her head, and Noa scoffed in annoyance. She knew where this was going.

"_I know_, dear, I know, but that's not what I'm talking about. You're twenty-one, Noa! Your father and I married when I was twenty-two, and you don't even have a boyfriend at the moment! Men don't wait forever!"

"That might have been the case when you were my age, mom, but in this day and age women are allowed to have their _own_ lives! I don't need a man to be happy or successful!" Noa had been through this conversation many times since she had turned eighteen. She knew her mother was only trying to look out for her, but she wanted to have her own life and not be completely dependent on what was given to her. She wanted to _earn_ something.

"You're already successful! You're the heir to our family name! Your father made sure you'd be well taken care of your entire life, Noa. You don't need to make it your own way, sweetie. Take it easy for once in your life. You've always been so ambitious, without any necessary cause," Etsuko said firmly. "Come upstairs with me. You're going to the Benefactor's Gala with me tonight."

"Mom!"

Etsuko shook her head. "I just want you to get a taste of what you'll be missing if you take the working man's road. I have a dress set out for you on my bed. Go put it on, and I will be up shortly to fix your hair and make-up. Shoo, go!"

Realizing she had no choice, Noa stood reluctantly and made her way up the stairs. 'I can get through one evening of this...Just one evening...' Going into her mother's spacious master bedroom, she spied the dress her mother had laid out. It was a modern style, no straps with a ruffled skirt that would end just above her knees. It was a smoky gray color with a ivory tulle underneath the skirt. A pair of long strapped heels stood on the floor next to the bed, and Noa dreaded putting them on.

Noa had been to gala's and such before, but they were all when she was younger. Her father had been the head of the Ueshima family before he had died, and apparently a hundred or so years back the Ueshima had been one of the main backers of the Seireitei Inc., along with several other families. The name Ueshima wasn't as well known as Shihoin, Kuchiki or even more minor nobility like the Ukitake or Kira, but they still garnered a fair amount of respect at these sorts of events. They weren't rich, but well set up, enough to be comfortable and placed above the normal working class.

After pulling on the dress, she sat at her mother's boudoir as a humming Etsuko lovingly curled and set her hair in places with pins set with smoky stones. Noa made her hold back on the make-up; she refused blush and lipstick but consented to a smoky eyeshadow. She wanted to blend into the crowd as much as possible.

"We're leaving now, Momoe! Don't wait up!" Etsuko called, pulling her shawl over her shoulders as she pushed Noa out the door. Her mother's driver pulled up the gate and opened the door for the women.

"Smile, Noa," Etsuko commanded, dabbing at her makeup in a small mirror. "It's expected of you, dear."

_'What isn't?'_

* * *

><p>"Are you excited, Cap'n? I am," Gin said cheerfully, crossing his legs in the car. Aizen sat next to him, eyes watching the city lights flash past them. He was feeling a bit more enthusiastic about the night at the moment, for the previous night's dreams had all but left him, and these gala's were always interesting. Lots of gossip and potential business partners...not to mention delectable young heiress's with toned young bodies. Yes, this night could prove to be quite...fruitful.<p>

"I know that look," Gin said with a twinge of humor in his voice. "Someone's lookin' forward to the various _pleasures_ that'll be sure to be offered this evenin'..." Aizen smirked in response, turning to look at Gin.

"If I'm lucky," he replied. "I'm afraid that my reputation may have preceded me."

Gin smiled wider. "Even if it had, girl's still be throwin' themselves at ya."

"One of the perks of being me, I suppose."

"You pretentious bastard. I'm jealous, Cap'n. Rangiku would kill me if she caught me slinkin' around with some horny heiress, though."

"You still have the scars from last time, don't you?"

"Yeah. They still sting a 'lil too..."

* * *

><p>Noa stood next to her mother, trying not to grimace. She had barely been at the gala for twenty minutes and she was already bored out of her mind. When they first arrived her mother had drug her around, introducing her to several people and reintroducing her to several people she already knew. Now she was just following her mother around, choosing not to "mingle" as her mother had suggested. She wasn't a flirter.<p>

"Did you hear, Etsuko? About Hanabusa and-" Noa turned from the gossip and looked around the room. It was lavishly decorated and staffed with professional caterers. There was a fully stocked bar and a string quartet played in the background. Nothing new. Nothing exciting. Nothing worthwhile.

"-oh, and I also heard that Aizen will be attending tonight-"

Except that.

"What?" Noa said sharply, turning back to the women surrounding her and her mother. They looked at her curiously, with humor in their eyes.

"Oh, Noa. I didn't know you were an Aizen admirer," Etsuko said. "Yes, Aizen is supposed to be attending tonight's gala, along with Ichimaru Gin. That's why so many people are here; it isn't everyday that someone as famous-"

"-Or handsome..."

"-As him attends," Etsuko finished, smiling at the young woman next to her who had added the remark about Aizen. 'She's the Aizen admirer, not me!'

"Uh...I have to go to the restroom," Noa said quickly, turning and stepping as fast as she could go in her heels. 'Maybe there's a window I can escape out of in there...!'

"Ah! Welcome, Sousuke! It's a pleasure to see you!"

'SHIT.'

Noa froze in her tracks, listening as the crowd began to converge behind her. She heard Aizen's smoky voice float over the crowd, and a shiver went up her spine.

"It's a pleasure to be here, Mr. Kanada. And a pleasure to you as well, Mrs. Kanada."

"Have you met Chiyo, my daughter? She's a huge admirer of yours."

"_Daddy!"_ A high voice squealed, and Noa cringed. She had to get out of here. Looking around, she tried to find the bathrooms but all the people coming towards Aizen was making it difficult. 'Curse my short stature!'

"If you'll excuse me," she heard a voice behind her, and she froze once again, hands immediately clamming up. "I think I'm in the mood for a drink-oh, excuse me, miss."

_'I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die.'_

Noa felt a slim hand grab her wrist and pull her to face the crowd. "Please excuse my daughter's rudeness, sir. I'm afraid it's been a while since she's been among civilized folk and her manners have suffered," Etsuko said to chuckles from the crowd. Noa could feel the blood leave her face in one huge rush. "Say hello, Noa," her mother hissed in her ear.

"Good evening," Noa said, face lowered to the floor. _'Please don't remember me. Please don't remember me...'_

"Ah, Miss Ueshima. What a pleasure." Noa resisted the urge to scream as Aizen's impossibly smooth hand took up her own, and as his impossibly smooth lips placed a small kiss on the top. "I must say, I did not expect to see you here."

"I could say the same," Noa said weakly. "If you'll excuse me, I need some air." Pulling away, she pushed through the crowd and left through the front door.

"Poor girl," an elderly woman said. "Doesn't know what to do with herself. You shouldn't flirt so, Sousuke."

Smirking, Aizen looked to Gin. The man's smile had grown so wide it looked as if his face was split apart.

"I shall fetch her. After all, it was me who made her run..."

* * *

><p>Noa started down the street, heart beating harder than she had ever felt it before. "Why did it have to be him? Why?" She wiped her hand on the skirt of her dress; it still tingled from the kiss Aizen had placed upon it. <em>'No one is that perfect. No one. Okay, Noa...stop panicking. You're out of there. There's no way he'd follow you...'<em>

"It's dangerous for a woman to be out by herself at night," a voice said from almost directly behind her. Turning sharply, Noa fought back the urge to glare at the smirking man who had done exactly what she had hoped he wouldn't.

"I-I'm perfectly able of taking care of myself," Noa said softly. Aizen cocked a brow and walked closer.

"Really? You're awfully pale."

Swallowing deeply, Noa angled her body so that she was parallel to Aizen's. "It was hot in there. I needed some air."

"What a coincidence. So do I." Clasping his hands behind his back, Aizen began to walk. "You don't mind if I tag along, do you?"

_'Yes! Yes I do! With every cell, with every atom I mind you having anything to do with me...!'_

With a deep breath. Noa closed her eyes and slowly began to follow.

"No, sir."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading! Look forward to more AizenNoa in the next chapter!**


	5. And So It Begins

**A/N: I'm sooo sorry it took so long for m****e to get this out out. I have been very stressed over the past couple of weeks with fundraising and homework I just had no time to write anything. As such, this one isn't too terribly long, but I suppose it's better than nothing.**

**Once again, thank you to everyone who reads and favs/alerts/reviews- I really and truly appreciate it!**

**Warnings: AU plot and a little OOC'ness. **

**Please enjoy!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em>'This is extremely awkward<em>', Noa thought to herself as she stepped gingerly beside the imposing man next to her. They had just rounded the block that the gala was taking place on, and were now strolling down a beautifully manicured sidewalk. Huge, old houses and manors guarded the peaceful calm of this part of the city, the warm glow of lights within casting a soothing tone over the darkened streets. However, this was lost on Noa, who was grimacing from her uncomfortable shoes and extremely nervous.

"Charming, isn't it?" Jumping slightly, Noa looked up at Aizen (he was a least eight inches taller than her), and cleared her throat.

"Uh, what is, sir?"

Frowning slightly, Aizen stopped. "This part of town. Personally I prefer a more modern setting, but the calm of these old buildings set up a nice atmosphere, don't you think?"

Nodding, Noa stopped as well, wavering in her heels. '_He really is very cultured, isn't he. I never expected him to notice things like that, though.'_

"I, uh, grew up in places like these, so I'm pretty used to it. I guess I never really paid attention, but yes, it is very...calm," Noa replied, not looking directly at Aizen. Her childhood home wasn't in the direct vicinity, but close enough.

Smiling softly, Aizen began to walk again, one hand in the pocket of his slacks. Noa stepped beside him for a few minutes before deciding she couldn't take the shoes any more. _'Screw this. I don't care if he's the most powerful man in the world, I'm taking these things off!'_ Stopping, she lifted one leg up, untangling the ribbon straps from her lower calf and ankle. Aizen paused, turning to watch her with a glint of amusement in his eyes. Once both heels were off, she hurried forward, bare feet hitting the slightly warm concrete with satisfied _'slaps'._Her feet were going to be filthy later, but it was worth it. Nodding a short apology to the impressive man, they once again stepped forward in a mutual, content silence.

Before long, they reached a small square with a lighted fountain bubbling in the middle. Angels and cherubs sputtered gracefully from atop the watery decoration, golden and blue lights casting a heavenly glow over the small resting area. Noa followed Aizen as he sat on one of the benches overlooking the fountains, sitting as far from him as she could.

"You know," Aizen said after a few moments of silence, "When I first heard your name I did not immediately connect you to your father. Once I did make the connection, I was rather curious as to why you were working at Seireitei Inc." He turned his head, deep eyes looking black in the dim light. "With your background, you could have easily obtained a influential spot in just about any company. Why choose the largest, where it takes even the most famous of men decades to gain any recognition?"

Smiling softly, Noa smoothed the skirts of her ash gray dress._ 'So that's what he wants to know.'_"My mother asked the same thing when I first applied for a job." She paused, somewhat surprised Aizen had asked in the first place. She clasped her hands in her lap, gazing at the murmuring waters of the fountain.

"There's no challenge in taking things that are handed to you by birthright," Noa continued. "I take no pleasure in taking the easy way in. I want to forge my own path, create my own honor, honor that isn't based on who I'm related to or who I know." Turning her face to look at Aizen through lowered eyes, she her lips curved in nervous humor. "You, of all people would know that better than others, no?"

Aizen paused, staring at this young woman in quiet puzzlement. This girl, clad in gray and ivory, who was rather unlike what he had expected her to be. He could practically taste the fear and anxiety he placed upon her, but underneath those layers of emotion was an intricate lacework of ambition and intelligence. Behind those blue eyes a smoldering fire of grace and power lay dormant, just waiting to be exploited by someone who knew how to use it.

Her words rang with truth, he had to admit. The story of his rise to power was famous the world over- the quiet, prodigious young man who rose from a relatively unknown past to become one of the most powerful men in the history of the country, through careful planning and well-timed takeovers. He had inspired countless individuals in their attempt to follow in his footsteps, but it was rare for him to meet one who had almost the same ideology he had.

"Many people liken their situations to the ones I myself experienced, but I often discover they've hardly scratched the surface," Aizen said lowly, leaning back against the bench. Noa's brows furrowed in confusion.

"The world is bound by deception and deceit, and it takes a careful mind to pick the truth from the lies. It's hard to discern illusion from reality," Aizen continued, voice becoming harder than before. "Do not pretend to understand me nor my motives, the life I've chosen or my goals. They are far beyond your comprehension, Ueshima Noa."

Noa's heart thumped loudly in her chest, setting her face firmly. She regretted her earlier words, but was slightly angered by his blunt statement that she knew nothing of the world he was involved in. Realizing she was getting in over her head, she decided to continue, despite the fact that she was alone with a dangerous man, playing with fire.

"Illusions are tricks designed to make you believe and see things that aren't there...but under every illusion is a reality, a true form that is waiting to be uncovered. She drew in a shaky breath. "And the way I see, part of life is taking apart those illusions and discovering what hides underneath."

"I'm not a child," she said quietly, clenching her fists in her lap. "I'm young, yes, and I'm fully aware that you've experienced far bigger things than I've ever dreamed of. But I didn't come into this with intention of backing away. I have always made it my goal to see the truth and use it, and I don't intend on accepting an illusion as the truth." She stood quietly, picking up her shoes.

"Please excuse me. I'm rather tired, and I need to go home." Bowing shortly, she walked out of the square and set off towards the main road. Aizen watched her go, the wheels in his head turning over her words and analyzing their meaning.

"What an interesting predicament this is turning out to be," he muttered to himself, standing and running a hand through his hair. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed the number of his driver and requested that he be picked up on the corner. After that was settled, he left a message on Gin's voice mail, telling the man to call him as soon as possible.

As he walked slowly to his pickup point, he could see the outline of Noa walking in front of him, her shoes dangling from her hand wearily. He watched the thin silhouette until she was a faint shadow in the night air, a soft smirking gracing his lips before he went his own way.

* * *

><p>After rounding the corner towards the gala, Noa flagged down a taxi, and directed the driver back to her apartment. She had left her briefcase and clothes at her mothers house, but she did not feel like going back there at the moment. She could pick them up tomorrow, or ask Momoe to drop them off at her apartment.<p>

The taxi whirred along the dark streets, and Noa leaned against the seat, playing with the skirt of her dress._ 'I feel like a little girl playing dress-up. When I left home, I thought I'd gotten away from all this. I don't want to be a pretty face attached to someone else's name or title.'_ Sighing, she began to pull the glittering clips from her hair, letting the locks fall messily around her face._ 'Tomorrow is my day off...hopefully I'll be able to relax a little. No stress.'_ Aizen's face appeared in her mind, strong and intimidating. She had never imagined herself talking so familiarly with a man such as he, and it was both nerve-wracking and strangely refreshing. _'He's so mysterious...I wonder what he's hiding behind those eyes.' _Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes, resting her head on the seat._ 'Then again, I'm not sure I wanna know...'_

* * *

><p>Aizen was sitting in his darkened living room overlooking the city when his phone finally rang. Recognizing the number as Gin's, Aizen picked up the slim, coal black phone and placed it to his ear, setting down his ever present cup of tea.<p>

"It's about time. I was wondering if you'd been ignoring me," he said smoothly, a hint of humor in his voice. On the other end, he could hear Gin snort indignantly.

"Nah," the silver-haired man said, and Aizen could picture the grin he must have, "I was jus' waitin' for the right moment ta slip away. You left me in a tight spot back there, Cap'n."

"My apologies," Aizen replied, leaning so that he was supported by the arm of the couch. "But a curious situation presented itself and I had to pursue it."

Gin chuckled. "I thought you weren't interested in tha' scrawny girl, Cap'n."

Smirking, Aizen closed his eyes for a moment, the plan already laid out in his mind. "Not at first, no, but after the brief moment I had to study her, she may prove to be rather valuable to us."

"I'm afraid I'm not seein' what yer gettin' at, Cap'n."

Smirk growing wider, Aizen tipped his head back, staring up at the dark ceiling. "She doesn't appear very remarkable at first, but as she spoke I caught hints of traits that have a lot of potential. She just needs a little...coaxing, is all. Not to mention her background. The Ueshima are by no means incredibly wealthy, but they're old enough that their name has a bit of power in certain areas. That too is another area ripe for cultivating."

"Said like a true businessman, Cap'n," Gin said, chuckling. "So what did ya have in mind?"

Aizen laughed hollowly, eyes scanning over the city. "Something very interesting. But I'll need your assistance if it's going to work. Can I count on you, Ichimaru Gin?"

"You know you can, Cap'n. Jus' tell me what needs to be done."

"Here's what I need you to do," Aizen said, leaning forward, holding the phone close to his ear. "It's quite simple, actually..."

* * *

><p>Noa was entrapped in a deep sleep when the pounding on her door finally roused her from her slumber. Raising her head groggily, she stumbled out of bed and over to the front of her apartment. She winced as the early-morning sun hit her face as she opened the door, with Momoe standing outside.<p>

"Momoe?" Noa asked tiredly. "What are you doing here?"

"You left your things at your mother's house, dear," the older woman said kindly, producing a bag that presumably held Noa's work clothes and briefcase.

Taking them, Noa nodded, the memories of the previous night returning to her hazy mind. _'Ugh...I must've just passed out as soon as I got home. I barely remember anything...'_

"Thanks," she said slowly, smiling at Momoe. The older woman nodded. "Your mother said you disappeared last night...with Sōsuke Aizen," she said quietly. There was a hint of concern on her face. "Did he do anything...improper to you, Noa?"

Turning red, Noa shook her head hastily. "No, of course not! We merely walked a bit, that's all. I promise, Momoe, I don't want anything to do with him. He followed me."

Nodding her head, Momoe looked a little relieved. "That's good to hear. He's a dangerous man, from what I gather." She turned, waving to the flustered young woman. "Goodbye, dear! Hope to see you soon!"

Waving slowly, Noa yawned and returned inside, glancing at the clock. It was barely after nine, giving her three hours until work. As a newer employee, she had one day off a week and worked half days on Sundays. Hardly relaxing, but she expected nothing less. It'd be a while until she reached a position where she could take as many days off as she liked.

_'I have a few hours...I might as well get something done. There's laundry to be washed, I need to go grocery shopping, and the apartment is getting a little messy.'_Looking around, she spied little odds and ends of paper and other little messes everywhere. Since her Saturday had been wasted, this would be her only time to get anything done.

After showering and dressing in leggings, a t-shirt and her university hoodie (hardly stylish but extremely comfortable), she gathered her laundry and her wallet and set out on her errands. In the basement of the apartments, the owners had set up a nice laundering area, a commodity Noa payed for as part of her rent. She set two loads, one for her more delicate work clothes and the other for her casual, everyday wear, and left to go shopping. There was a small but efficient grocery around the corner, where she picked up some meals for the next few days and various other items. She returned to her apartment in time to switch her loads into the dryers, and set off to put away her groceries.

It was almost eleven by the time she was done, so Noa quickly fixed her hair and put on some work attire. Rushing out the door, she barely remembered to lock it before half-stumbling down the stairs. _'I should have left earlier! The trains are going to be packed!'_

* * *

><p>Inoue Orihime was a pretty, albeit somewhat ditzy young woman. She was 19, currently living in the dorms of the university as she studied to become a teacher. She wanted to be a lot of things, really; teacher, chef, astronaut, giant-fighting robot, but her friends had convinced her that her best option was teaching. So she studied hard, worked shifts at a local bakery and patisserie, and juggled life, friends and studies, all the while smiling and helping those in need. That's what first caught Ulquiorra's attention.<p>

He had entered the bakery one rainy morning three months ago, tired and in need of coffee. At first he hadn't noticed the buxom red-head as she hurried over to take his order.

"Good morning! What can I get you?" She asked cheerfully, straightening the name tag on her ruffly uniform.

"Coffee. Tall. Black," Ulquiorra had murmured, pulling out a mangled mess of bills from the pockets of his black suit. It had not been a productive start for him that day.

"Coming right up!" The melancholy man watched her flounce away, grabbing a to-go cup and filling it with the reviving liquid. _'I've never seen her here before. Must be new.'_

"Here you are," the young woman replied, holding out the steaming cup. Ulquiorra flinched slightly as he stared into her smiling gray eyes, taken aback on how big and glossy they were...

"Here's your change. Have a nice day! Oh, and stay dry!" She waved slightly as Ulquiorra merely nodded, heading towards the door. _'I've never seen someone so incredibly giddy before. It's kind of annoying.' _Going outside, the atmosphere changed drastically, becoming wet and downtrodden. Nothing like inside the bakery. _'Humph.'_

He had returned there everyday since then, ordering the exact same thing (with the occasional croissant or bagel if he was feeling adventurous). And every time, Inoue Orihime was there to greet him with smiles full of unconditional happiness. It had become a part of his daily routine, just like showering and brushing his teeth. It was a necessary part of his day, and he still couldn't figure out why.

So he sat there, this warm spring morning, sipping his coffee and pulling apart his plain bagel. In the background he could hear Orihime's ringing laugh and a small smile graced his thin lips.

"Excuse me!" A muffled voice from outside caught his attention, and he watched with a stony face as a familiar woman hurried past the bakery, briefcase in hand and a panicked expression on her face.

_'It's that Ueshima woman,'_he remarked inwardly, watching as she sped past and hurried towards the office buildings. 'I wonder what she's so late for. Pitiful.' He sipped his coffee, enjoying the few moments of peace he had before he needed to rush off to his own job.

* * *

><p>"I'm here!" Noa gasped, flying into Shūhei's office, desperately trying to pin her hair back up. Shūhei looked up, eyebrow raised in a humorous look.<p>

"I can see that," he chuckled, placing the papers he had been reading on his desk. "You look terrible, by the way. What happened?"

Frowning, Noa finished pinning up her hair and dusted off her slacks. "I woke up late after a very long, very stressful night. But I'm here, so none of that matters." Placing a hand on her chest, she tried to slow her breathing after her sprint to make it on time. _'My heart is pounding...! I haven't run that hard in ages.'_

Chuckling again, Shūhei stood. "Your first day off and you're already a mess? Tsk, tsk. You're doing it wrong, Ueshima. I've seen your type before."

Setting her briefcase down, Noa gazed at Shūhei. "Doing what wrong?" She was slightly worried-she didn't like making mistakes.

"The whole day-off thing. Days off are for parties and drinking and relaxing! You're the type who probably thinks about work and the like twenty-four/seven, aren't you?"

Frowning, Noa crossed her arms. "I do not."

"Liar. I can see it in your face. In fact, I noticed it the first time I saw you."

Huffing, Noa bit her bottom lip. "I know how to have _fun_, sir. In fact, I'll have you know I was at a party last night. A gala, in fact." Noa wasn't a natural bragger, but she was backed into a corner. She knew how to have fun!

Shūhei cocked another brow, leaning against his desk. "Oh, really? A_ gala_, you say? With who?"

"My mother," Noa said briskly, as Shūhei burst out laughing. _'It's not funny...!'_

"Let me guess- she drug you there against your will, didn't she?" When Noa didn't answer, Shūhei smiled, and held up his hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. But seriously-loosen up, Ueshima. Relax a bit, and it's okay to be a few minutes late every now and again. God knows I'm not like Kuchiki. That man would fire his own _grandmother_for being a few seconds late." Shaking his head, he motioned towards a wall. "Anyways, c'mere a sec. I've got a surprise for you."

_'A surprise?'_Curious, Noa followed him to the wall, where she saw a door she had thought to be a storage room. "What is it, sir?"

"It's not huge, but it's a start," Shūhei replied, opening the door to reveal a small room with a desk and two windows. "Welcome to your own workstation. It's kind of small, but it's private and it's close to mine. Ikeda is setting up a computer and linking it to the network so you can work on digital copies as well as hard ones."

Noa stepped inside, a small smile on her face. It wasn't glamorous, it wasn't over-sized; in fact, it was like the room was made for her. Quiet, secure and private. "Thank you, Hisagi, sir. It's wonderful."

Scratching the back of his head, Shūhei turned to hide a small blush on his face. "No need to thank me. It's about time you got outta my office."

Noa just smiled, running her hands over her (_her!_) desk. _'Well, today turned out to be pretty good afterall. See, mom? It's perfect here...'_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, across the city, Gin was walking up the garden path of a modest but beautiful home in the third district. Dressed in a gray suit, he looked liked a snake slithering through the shrubbery and flowers as he reached the door and rang the bell.<p>

It opened after a few seconds, showing a petite woman with an awed expression on her face. "Ichimaru Gin? To what do I owe the...pleasure?"

Smiling widely, Gin bowed. "Miss Ueshima, the pleasure is all mine. May I come in?" Nodding slowly, Etsuko Ueshima stood to the side as the grinning man showed himself in. "Why, your decor is absolutely stunning, madam- much like yourself, I must say."

Helpless against flattery, Etsuko smiled and pressed a hand to her cheek. "My, my, how kind of you, Mr. Ichimaru. Please, follow me to the parlor, we can converse there. Momoe!"

The aproned woman peeked from the kitchen. "Yes, Etsuko?"

"Tea, please. And the small cakes Miss Kanoya dropped off this morning."

"Right away."

Gin followed the elder Ueshima woman down the hall, hands clasped on a a small notebook. 'Sweet digs. Pretty classy lady.'

They settled into the parlor, Gin across from his hostess, who smiled at him pleasantly. "I saw you the previous night at the benefactor's gala. You arrived with Aizen, did you not?"

"Quite right you are," Gin replied, thin fingers drumming against his notebook. "Although I was ditched rather unceremoniously by the man. Ditched for your daughter, in fact."

Sighing, Etsuko looked down at her lap. "I was so embarrassed when she ran out like that! It was so kind of Aizen to go and make sure no harm came to her. I always find myself apologizing for that girl- she just refuses to see it my way."

Nodding like he understood, Gin opened his notebook. "Well, I was sent here on Aizen's behalf. Ya see, he just felt so bad for embarrassin' the girl, he wanted to send 'er a little gift. But see, he wants it ta be a surprise, ya know?" Etsuko nodded, looking interested.

"So," Gin continued, pulling a pen out of his pocket, "I was wonderin' if you'd be so kind as to help us- I mean him out a bit." Etsuko smiled, straightening her back and looking excited. "Of course! Anything for my No-no."

Smiling at the nickname, Gin clicked his pen. "Okay. First, tell me a bit about her likes and dislikes...so he can pick out a good gift."

"_Well_," Etsuko began, "She loves the color blue, her favorite flowers are lilies, she doesn't like chewy candy..."

'_Easy as pie_',' Gin thought to himself as he began writing.

* * *

><p>Back in his office, Aizen looked out his window, afternoon cup of tea in his hand. Smirking, he looked across the city towards the third district, where Gin was most likely wheedling details out of Ueshima Etsuko.<p>

_'I haven't been confronted with such an opportunity in months,'_ He thought smugly to himself as he sipped his tea._ 'The girl won't know what hit her. I hope her reaction is as delicious as I think it will be.'_ He turned, still smirking and headed towards his desk.

_'Let the courtship of Ueshima Noa begin.'_

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><p><strong>It's moving along (the plot, that is.) Thank you for reading!<strong>_  
><em>


	6. Lilies

**A/N: Hello everyone. Here's a new chapter for all you awesome people.**

**I cannot believe I have 20 reviews already. You guys are so nice, and I'm glad you like this story. Thanks for all the support.**

**This chapter is longer than the last one, but once again I apologize if it's a little short. I just wanted to get something out there for you. **

**Warnings: AU plot, a little OOC'ness, and some fantastical Aizen-plans. Don't we all love those? **

**Enjoy!**

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><p>By Monday morning, Noa had all but forgotten the confusing night she had at the gala. She had spent the rest of Sunday getting used to her new office- setting up her computer, organizing files, cleaning up the dust that had gathered in the time the room hadn't been unused. There had been another door Noa hadn't noticed before, one that led out into a small side hallway, which allowed her and others to come and go without disturbing Shūhei in his office. Over all, she was very happy by the time she arrived to work Monday morning.<p>

_'Now that hell week is over, I can get a taste of what the department is like during the rest of the year,'_ Noa thought to herself as the elevator rose. Shūhei had told her he had spent his entire Saturday evening drinking himself into a slobbering mess of delight, as the department had managed to finish the final drafts before the deadline._ 'I don't care what he says, I don't think I'll ever be the kind of person who parties all the time.'_Smiling to herself, she stepped out of the metal box as the doors slid open, clutching her briefcase and nodding pleasantly to the people who acknowledged her. It was still noisy, with all the typing and printing and hissed swearing at slow computers, but it was still much more pleasant than the roar of the previous week.

Noa stepped quietly into Shūhei's office, waving shortly as he nodded to her, murmuring into the phone at his ear. Going to her own door, she took out the dull-colored key Shūhei had fished out of the netherworld of his filing cabinets, she opened her door with a click, stepped inside and gasped quietly. _'What on earth...?'_

Situated in the middle of her desk was a vase of flowers, lilies to be exact. But they weren't just any lilies, they were the biggest, brightest, softest-looking and most beautiful lilies she had ever seen. Noa stepped closer, setting her briefcase down and peering at the lovely flowers. They were obviously expertly grown, picked and arranged, with the largest at the bottom and smallest near the top. White lilies with huge, gaping mouths hung around the bottom, lilies with orange throats and dark, luscious tiger-lilies made up the top. The vase was beautiful too- tall and thin, and made of blown glass the color of a spring sky. Noa touched the flowers gently, awed and wondering who had placed them there

_'Shūhei...? No, no. I'm sure it wasn't him. Tesla, maybe? But how would he get in here, much less know that I even had an office?'_ Frowning, she went to move the vase when she noticed a burst of white at the top of the bunch, nestled in with the dark orange tiger-lilies. _'What's this?'_

Using her fingers, she gently pried a small white flower out of its hiding place and let it sit in her palms. _'This isn't a lily...but it looks familiar.'_ She stroked the windmill shaped petals, pondering their identity before suddenly realizing what it was. _'This is an oleander!'_ Drawing her hand back, she dumped the poisonous flower into the trash next to her desk._ 'Why was an oleander in a bouquet of lilies? I didn't think florists usually used them in arrangements. I wonder who put it there...how strange...'_Wiping her hands on her slacks, she went to go wash her hands. She had only touched the petals, and very lightly at that, but oleanders were poisonous and she didn't feel like going to the hospital.

By the time she returned from the washroom, Shūhei was off the phone. He looked up, a tired smile on his face. "Mornin' Ueshima."

"Good morning, sir," Noa replied, folding her hands in front of her. Shūhei cocked his head, drumming his fingers on his desk.

"What's the matter now?" He asked, and when Noa looked confused he waved his hands in the air. "The look on your face! Every time I see you, you've either got a terribly melancholy or troubled look in your eyes. Sheesh woman, are you ever happy?"

Frowning, Noa crossed her arms. "I'm _happy_, sir. It's just that weird things keep happening to me! Like the flowers!"

Eyebrows raised, Shūhei coughed. "Flowers?"

"Come look!" Noa opened the door to her office, pointing to the vase on her desk. "When I walked in earlier, that was just sitting there. No note or anything. Just _bam!_Right in the center."

Shūhei stepped forward, lips pursed. He poked the flowers while Noa watched with her hand on her hip, exasperated.

"Heh heh..." A small laugh escaped Shūhei's lips as he turned, an amused gleam in his eyes. "How _cute_! Someone obviously has a crush on you, Ueshima. And by the looks of this bouquet, it's not some ordinary guy."

Noa groaned, dropping her head and dropping into her chair. "This sucks..."

"What?" Shūhei exclaimed, slamming his hand on the desk, making the vase wobble. "Are you kidding me? You don't want to be the object of someones desires?" Grabbing his head he growled. "What on earth is _wrong_with you, woman?"

Sighing, Noa slouched in her head. "No, I don't! I don't have time for relationships...and I especially don't have time for unrequited, one-sided ones!"

"But this guy's obviously loaded!" Shūhei sputtered, pointing at the bouquet. "Those flowers and that vase are obviously of high quality. That means whoever left them is _at least_moderately wealthy."

"I don't care," Noa mumbled. "I don't want 'em." She kept the discovery of the oleander to herself- she wasn't sure if it meant anything or was just a mishap. Besides, Shūhei was already way too excited.

_'I am curious though...who left this bouquet?'_

* * *

><p>"Lovely day, isn't it?"<p>

"Absolutely stunnin', Cap'n."

Aizen smiled, sipping his usual cup of afternoon tea. Gin, Kaname and himself were sitting on the private observation deck of the building, enjoying a small lunch in the cool spring afternoon.

"I barely made it out in time when I was placin' those flowers," Gin said, leaning back in his chair and nibbling on his panini. "That Ueshima girls office is right next to Hisagi's, and _damn_, that man is early for work!"

"It's a skill I embedded in him during my own overseeing of the Editing and Publishing department," Kaname said smugly, setting down his own cup of tea. "I'm glad to know he's still practicing it."

Gin mumbled something incoherent as Aizen looked towards him. "Did you place the oleander, Gin?"

"Sure did. Right on top," Gin replied. "It was quite lovely lookin', sittin' in all that orange. You have impeccable taste, Cap'n."

Smirking, Aizen set down his cup. "It's thanks to your effort in finding Ueshima's likes and dislikes that this plan was set into motion." Leaning back, he gazed out over the city. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky, and in the distance one could see the sparkle of the bay.

"However," he continued, large palm settling on the table, "This is only the beginning. I need to make a more..._personal _move eventually. Kaname?"

The dark-skinned man nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "I looked into Ueshima's approximate arrival, lunch and departure times like you asked."

"And?"

"She arrives at work anywhere between seven-thirty and seven-fifty. She usually takes her lunch around two, in the company cafeteria, and leaves work between six and six-twenty."

"Hmm..." Aizen rubbed his chin, thinking. He himself could arrive at work any time he wanted, and was likewise able to leave whenever as well. He _was_the boss, after all. "This leaves me open to intercept her at anytime, or at least make my presence known until further advancements would seem plausible," he said slowly as Gin and Kaname listened. "We don't want too many wild rumors going around, not yet at least."

Kaname cleared his throat, interlacing his hands under his chin. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't exactly see what your point is with this."

Gin snorted. "Of course you don't. Yer_ blind_, aren't you?"

"Quiet, Gin," Aizen said firmly, turning to Kaname.

"It would be useless for me to make an approach on her this soon. From what I gather, she isn't the type of woman to be taken in easy by flattery or looks alone. I'll have to make myself seem more familiar to her, so being there as she comes to and from work will help." Taking a sip of tea, Aizen savored the flavor before continuing.

"I'll start out just making an appearance most days. No doubt she'll be intimidated and try to ignore me at first, but I'm sure that she'll get used to my presence before long. And that's when I'll start making more advances, ones that involve personal confrontations."

Nodding, Kaname tapped his fingers against the table, looking thoughtful. "I understand now, but doesn't that seem awfully...public? You know how people are; they love gossip._ Especially_about you, sir."

Aizen smirked. It was true, there were thousands of rumors and tidbits of gossip circulating each day, especially in the city. Most of it was harmless, but every so often someone managed to dig up something that they weren't supposed to know about. Of course Aizen stomped that out soon enough, but the situation at the moment was a little more precarious. He hadn't taken Noa as the kind of person to concern herself over gossip, but if people started to whisper about how familiar Aizen was becoming to her, she'd no doubt pick something up. Besides, she worked in a department full of reporters. It would be next to impossible if she didn't hear something.

"True, Kaname," Aizen nodded, setting down his cup. "This is a bigger leap than others in the past. However, we'll think of that when the time comes." Tracing the rim of his cup, he smirked again. "After all, we'll have to go public eventually."

Gin grinned, but on the inside he was becoming a little concerned. Aizen's plans had never failed before, but this was on a whole different level. He had hardly met her, but from what Aizen had said and what Kaname had gathered, Noa was different from the other girls Aizen had managed to woo. _'She's not more beautiful or confident, but she does seem more intelligent and cautious. I'm still wonderin' if this is going to go as planned...'_

_'But,'_ he smirked to himself as he leaned back in his chair, _'The Cap'n isn't the kind of man who tolerates refusal. Tha' poor girl, she's got a hell of a future in front of her. It's gonna end up bad for her, no matter how she reacts to this...'_

* * *

><p>Noa hadn't been sure what to do with the vase of lilies. Part of her wanted to throw them out and never think about them again, but they were so beautiful that she couldn't manage to do it. So instead she pushed the vase to the corner of her desk and continued with her work.<p>

It was definitely easier now that she had her own workspace and computer. Documents and files could be sent to her in digital form, and she could make corrections on the computer and then send them back. She also had a connection to the main printing room, so if she was ever in charge of the end of an editing and publishing project, she could send the project directly to Nami, who would print it. Overall, she liked the quiet, productive feeling it gave her, despite the vase of worries sitting on the edge of the desk.

After the morning influx of work started to dwindle, Noa once again found herself beginning to wonder who had put the flowers on her desk. She ran through the short list of men in the department she had talked to briefly, along with Izuru and Iba, but none of them seemed the type (save for perhaps Izuru, but she doubted it was him). Then she began to wonder if it was a woman who had put them there, and started to panic a little. She had nothing against relationships of the same sex, and had a close friend who was homosexual, but she herself was not and had no idea what to do if she was approached by someone who was. Quickly running through the list of women she had met, though, quickly put her panic to rest. She knew for a fact that Nami was married, and she hadn't been around any other woman to make any substansial effect on them.

_'I need to stop worrying about this,'_ Noa said, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her temples. _'Shūhei is right, I do find myself troubled too often. I'll start graying soon if I keep it up.'_ Leaning forward, she placed her hands in her lap and sighed. _'I should be flattered, but I'm just worried. How weird am I...?'_ She smiled softly at her own expense. _'I must be the only woman in the world who wouldn't want a gift of flowers. Well, except maybe from a significant other, but there's no one like that in my life at the moment...' _

* * *

><p>As the sun began to sink into the sea, Aizen began his descent to the central courtyard of Seireitei Inc. He bade Loly farewell, and stepped into the elevator. On the way down, he ran his fingers through his hair, loosened his tie, opened the first two buttons and untucked his shirt. Inside his suit jacket, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a tarnished gold pocket watch, flipped it open, checked the time and put it away, smirking. Time for action.<p>

The elevator slid open, and he walked into the foyer of his building. Several people looked surprised to see him- he rarely made an appearance here in the evening, preferring to go directly to the head parking garage. His smirk grew as the men averted their eyes and the women huddled together, whispering. Placing a hand in his pocket, he stepped down the huge marble steps, breathing the warm evening air, nodding to people as he went.

_'It's a little after six. Kaname had better be right on her departure times; I don't want to spend too much time out here in the midst of the more...common workers.'_

The courtyard was visible ahead. _'Ah, there's Gin,'_ Aizen noticed. The slithery man was leaning against the bubbling fountain in the courtyard, tapping his foot. The plan was succeeding thus far. _'Everything is in place. Now we just need to wait for the guest of honor.'_

"Cap'n," Gin drawled in greeting as Aizen stopped next to him. Nodding shortly, Aizen looked around the courtyard, admiring the landscaping and cleanliness of everything. Two paths diverged from this place, and once you were on them you became who you were; Gotei or Las Noches. But this courtyard served as neutral ground between the two main divisions of Seireitei Inc., a place where the employees found a haven in which they were all the same, and the sight before him confirmed that. People from all over were mingling together, walking together, talking together. It was on the one place in the city where who you were didn't matter.

Unless you were Aizen, of course.

It was like a scene from an old horror movie as hordes of people suddenly converged on the two CEO of the Las Noches division. Few actually came up and greeted him; most just happened to find reasons to stay near, no doubt listening hard to try and discern anything that came out of Aizen's mouth. _'Honestly. You'd think people would know what subtlety is these days.'_

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Gin watching the path leading to the Gotei building, keeping a watchful eye as Aizen was preoccupied with shaking hands and greeting people. They had actually been planning on this; the way they were situated and the people around them gave anyone coming one path to pass through to get past; one that would lead right past Aizen. Noa would have no escape, unless she felt like wading through the fountain.

Aizen straightened as Gin's elbow poked his side. Flicking his head sharply, the silver-haired man motioned in the direction of the Gotei path. "_She's comin_'," he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

Looking up, Aizen watched the path. Sure enough, Noa was walking slowly down the cobblestones, briefcase swinging in hand and swirls of hair whipping out of her loose bun. She looked positively spaced-out, her gaze soft and uninterested. Apparently she hadn't noticed the crowd in front of her yet. Aizen mumbled a hello to an elderly employee grasping his hand as he stared, heart suddenly beginning to beat faster.

One of the things he most despised was how little control humans had over their own bodies. He was an expert at manipulating the bodies and minds of others, but his own was a completely different story. As Noa drew closer, his heart beat faster, mind suddenly beginning to slow. What on Earth was going on?

He watched as the young woman slowed at the edge of the crowd, mumbling apologies as she squeezed past everyone to find a way through. Realizing she hadn't noticed him yet managed to bring him out of his temporary stupor, and he forcefully regained control of his thoughts. _'Just a little closer now...'_

_'There!' _He watched as she froze when she realized why everyone was there. Clutching her briefcase to her chest, she plowed headfirst through the crowd, drawing closer and closer to Aizen. She was six feet away, four feet away, two feet away...

They were parallel to each other, and time began to slow. The voices of the crowd quieted, and Aizen was sure he could hear both his and Noa's heartbeats as she brushed past him. He stared down, watching her go past, wondering if she'd raise her head, hoping if she'd raise her head, _'Raise your head...'_

Their eyes met, and the world halted for a fraction of a second, blue eyes meeting his own deep brown ones, and then it was all over, and time sped up, and she hurried away, swept up in the crowd.

Aizen didn't watch her go. He gazed ahead, brow ever so slightly furrowed in confusion and feeling a little dizzy. _'It is done...the illusion has been placed.'_

* * *

><p>As soon as she was out of the courtyard, Noa let out a huge breath, placing a hand on her cheek. <em>'Why was Aizen there...?' <em>It was like he was haunting her.

She could still hear the murmur of the crowd behind her, and she closed her eyes as the scene played in her head over and over. His eyes were so deep, and it was like she was being pulled in, suffocated by the power in them. _'That man...he's going to drive me crazy if this keeps up.'_

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><p><strong>Thank you so much for reading. If you celebrate Halloween, have a good one! I wanted to be a Jedi this year but I didn't have enough time to make my costume. So I'm a mummy instead.<strong>

**And if you don't celebrate Halloween, have a good one anyways! **_  
><em>


	7. Brighten

**A/N: Please forgive me for the wait. I was very busy the past few weeks. I went to Hawaii a couple weeks ago (which was AMAZING, I got tons of inspiration), and preparing and taking finals has eaten up a good chunk of my life. So I wasn't just slacking (only a little, I promise).**

**Here's a new chapter for you all. Once again, thank you for the support. It means a lot.**

**I've finally decided on the design of the city, as well. It's one part San Francisco, one part downtown Waikiki, one part the city from the game Mirror's Edge, and one part the city from I, Robot ( the movie, not the book, although both are amazing. I recommend them both). I apologize if you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing all or any of them, but that's what the internet is for, no?**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC-ness.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of it's characters or terms, etc... This is a fanfiction.**

**Enjoy!  
><strong>

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><p><em>'Knock knock!'<em>

The light tapping on her door roused Noa from her already restless sleep on Tuesday morning. She'd tried to sleep, but strange dreams that she couldn't quite grasp kept weaving in and out of her consciousness. Eventually, around two in the morning, she had just lain in bed, thinking about who had left the bouquet on her desk and...Aizen.

Pulling the sheets away from her body, she padded softly to her door, tugging her shirt down from where it had ridden up in the night. Peering through the peep-hole, she saw a young man in slacks and an apron, a rolling cart at his side. Puzzled, Noa opened the door.

"...Yes? Can I help you?" She asked hesitantly. The man bowed shortly, one arm behind his back.

"I'm from Café Dordoni, madam. I have a special delivery here for you."

Noa frowned. _'Café Dordoni is the most expensive place in the city. Why the hell is this guy here?'_

"I think you've got the wrong person. I didn't order anything from there," Noa replied, crossing her arms slowly. The man laughed, shaking his head.

"No, no, madam. This is a delivery for you. You are Ueshima Noa, correct?" When Noa nodded, he turned to the cart.

"It's a gift of sorts. Here," he continued, pulling a small bouquet of lilies wrapped in ribbon from under the cart. Noa took them gently, cogs turning in her head. _'No way...'_

"Look, I don't want this-" Noa began, but the man merely handed her a basket, bowed and began to wheel the cart towards the stairs. Noa watched him go, arms full, before letting out an exasperated sigh and going back inside.

_'I can't believe it. Shūhei was right; whoever this guy is, he's loaded.' _Setting the basket down on her coffee table, Noa looked at the lilies. They were all white this time, with the slightly green throats of being freshly plucked. The ribbon wrapped around the stems was a light blue, the same color as the vase the bouquet had been in. Noa smiled despite herself- she did love lilies.

_'I wonder...'_ Prodding the petals gently, she pulled them apart, frowning slightly as a dash of pink caught her eye. Noa pulled the rosy pink oleander from the nest of lilies, letting it rest in her hand. _'Another oleander...It must mean something, or else it wouldn't be placed within the lilies again.'_

Sighing, Noa threw the oleander away and washed her hands. She still had an hour and a half before work. Her stomach growled, and she looked back at the basket of food. _'It'd be a shame to let it go to waste...and who knows when I'll ever be able to taste anything from Café Dordoni again?' _Padding to her couch, she sat near the edge and lifted the hinged top of the basket.

Delicious smells wafted from within, and Noa's stomach growled again in response. Reaching inside, she began to pull out covered dishes of varying sizes and weights, along with a beautiful teacup and steaming thermos of what she discovered to be peppermint tea. Placing the dishes on the table, she began to uncover them. Each lid revealed a beautifully prepared dish, placed artfully on beautiful pale blue china scattered with a pale pattern of maple leaves. However, despite the delicious food in front of her, once the last dish was placed there was a knot in her stomach.

Each and every dish was one of her favorites, prepared in her preferred ways that only someone close to her could know. There were blueberry pancakes with a side of whipped butter and fresh syrup, crepes filled with cream cheese and cherries, pomegranate and cranberry scones dribbled with orange and chocolate icing. Scrambled eggs with ham and her favorite cheddar cheese, and two containers of pomegranate-lime juice. _'I-I don't understand. The only people who know I love these dishes are my mother and Momoe...and I know it wasn't them who sent this.'_ She had ruled her mother and Momoe out a while ago, due to the fact that her mother would have openly sent her a gift like this (she was horrible at keeping secrets), and not have sent it anonymously.

Dread suddenly filled her stomach. _'Is someone watching me?' _Glancing around, Noa swallowed nervously. Looking down at the food, her appetite waned a bit. _'What if it's poisoned? Maybe the lilies and the food isn't a gift, but a threat?' _

Almost immediately after thinking that, Noa chastised herself. _'Why would someone be threatening me? I don't have any enemies. And someone could have just...guessed about these dishes. Maybe it's just a coincidence...'_

Picking up a fork and knife, Noa cut a small piece of pancake and brought it to her mouth. It was fluffy and delicious, and her tongue tingled with the sweet taste. She didn't taste anything off about it, and gave in to temptation. _'Nobody's perfect,'_ she said to herself halfheartedly as she began her meal.

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><p>Half and hour later, she was getting off her train at Dangai Station, stomach full of the delicious meal. There had been far too much for even her to eat, she she had carefully wrapped and stored the food in her refrigerator. She hadn't know what to do with the dishes, and eventually just washed them and set them to the side.<p>

_'At least I have leftovers to look forward to,'_ she smiled to herself, rounding a corner. She was lost in her thoughts, and didn't notice the person standing at the entrance of the courtyard, blocking her path. "Oof!"

Noa stumbled, catching her briefcase before it fell out of her grasp. "S-sorry," she gasped, straightening and blushing. "I didn't see you there..." 'Why am I apologizing? He was in the way...'

"It's quite alright," the man said, turning to her. Bending forward, he picked up a paper off the ground, and Noa caught sight of his face. _'Oh, no...'_

"I think you dropped this," Kaname Tousen said quietly, but not unkindly. Noa took the paper from him, frowning slightly.

"T-thank you, Tousen, sir," she said slowly. The man smiled slightly, eyes not visible behind a specially-made visor. Noa knew he was blind, but if what she heard was true, the condition was barely a setback for the powerful man. He worked for Aizen, and was second in power only to Ichimaru Gin.

"I'm sorry, but have we met? I'm afraid I don't recognize your voice," Tousen said, standing straight and clasping his hands behind his back.

Unclasping her briefcase, Noa stuffed the paper he had handed her inside and coughed slightly. "Uh, no, sir. I just know who you are, you see..." She trailed off, aware of how that must have sounded.

"Ah," the ebony skinned man said, as if that explained everything. "I see now. Well, may I have your name, so that I may know who you are as well?"

Blushing again, Noa nodded stupidly before remembering he wouldn't be able to tell. "Yes! My name is Ueshima Noa, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Tousen replied. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to excuse me. I have work to do. Have a pleasant day, Miss Ueshima." And with that, he turned briskly and walked up the stairs, heading left towards the Las Noches division.

Blinking slowly, Noa shook her head before beginning to walk to her own building. _'That was strange. He seemed awfully kind, though...'_

* * *

><p>"Your tea, sir."<p>

Aizen looked up from his computer monitor, eyes locking on the steaming cup that Loly held aloft. "Thank you," he said richly, accepting the cup and leaning back to take a sip.

Nodding, Loly bowed and left, pressing a button on her earpiece. "Seireitei Inc., Las Noches Division, how may I help you..."

The door shut, cutting off her words to the man sitting behind the desk. Sipping his tea, he turned in his chair and gazed out the window. The city gleamed before him, a jewel of bright colors and sunshine. The sky was crisp and clear, and the sea glimmered in the distance, a beacon of prosperity and grace.

It all made his head hurt.

He hadn't slept well the previous night, tossing and turning in his downtown apartment. After hours of restless slumber, he had merely sat out on the balcony for the remainder of the morning until the sun had peeked over the horizon. Afterward, he had traded his signature cup of morning tea for some strong coffee to help him get through the day. It was a good thing he had Gin and Kaname to set his plans into motion, or else he wouldn't have had the energy to call into Cafe Dordoni and place the expansive breakfast order.

He had, however, put together today's bouquet himself, wrapping the lilies in the blue ribbon and placing the freshly plucked oleander blossom into the middle. It felt more personal if he did it himself, and he sighed, wondering how Noa had felt once she had found the pink flower.

A quick knock at the door snapped him out of his reverie, and he voiced his approval for them to come in. Tousen entered, following closely by the ever-grinning Ichimaru.

"Mornin', Cap'n," Gin drawled, pulling up a chair and plopping himself into it. Tousen preferred to stand, hands clasped behind his back. Nodding his greetings, Aizen waited for their reports.

"The waiter delivered tha food to the girl's apartment, and said that she accepted it, albeit hesitantly," Gin continued, crossing his legs and placing his clasped hands on his knee. "Tha bouquet as well," he added, grinning wider.

Nodding his approval, Aizen set down his cup. Looking to Tousen, he signaled the second man to speak. Clearing his throat, Tousen began.

"I intercepted Ueshima Noa on her way to work, like you said," he said staring straight ahead. "And she accepted the note I tricked her into taking." Turning his sightless gaze to his boss, he coughed quietly.

"She seemed quite flustered, sir. I think all of this is getting to her. Frankly, I'm somewhat amused to how she hasn't begun to stitch all these events together. We're not exactly placing a difficult trail to follow."

Nodding, Aizen smirked. "Yes, I realize this. In fact, it's something I was betting on." Standing, he placed one hand on his desk, leaning against it.

"You see," he explained to Tousen and Gin's confused faces, "I'm almost positive that Ueshima Noa will begin to piece the puzzle together quite soon. And once she has, that is when I will make my biggest move. By then, I'm guessing that due to all these personal intrusions, I will have become quite familiar to her, even if it is subconsciously. It will be quite easy to win her over once that has happened."

Nodding, Tousen smiled softly. "You are always one step ahead of everyone, aren't you, sir?"

Aizen's smirk faltered for a second as he glanced down. "Of course I am. It's the only way to survive in this world..."

* * *

><p>"Noa! I've got a job for you!"<p>

Glancing up from her screen, Noa saved her progress and ventured into the connecting room to where Shuhei had called her. "Yes?"

"I need you to take this down to the Fourth Floor," he said, waving a stack of papers. "It's a medical pamphlet, and all publications having to deal with any sort of medical related issues needs to be certified by the Medical department. You up to it?"

Noa nodded, accepting the papers. This was a perfect opportunity to explore the rest of the company.

"Get goin' then," Shuhei finished, turning to his computer. Smiling softly, Noa clutched the packet to her chest and departed to the elevator. Pressing the button for the Fourth floor, she hummed as the contraption lowered her five stories down.

As it slowed, Noa stepped out of the elevator, eyes widening in surprise. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought she had stepped into a completely different building.

The fourth floor was laid out quite differently than the ninth. There were far more doors and far less people milling about in the hallways. Stepping closer, Noa saw one large reception desk where two women in nursing outfits sat, taking calls. _'It's like a hospital...'_

Going to the desk, she asked one of the nurses for directions to where she could get her papers certified. They were more than happy to point her to the left, down a wide hallway. Thanking them, she walked down the sterile looking passage.

The overhead lights glared onto the white floor, and Noa was reminded of the hallways of the Las Noches building. Several people in lab coats passed her, carrying clipboards and x-rays. Noa shuddered inwardly- she had a slight phobia of hospitals.

_'CRASH!' _

"Oh no!"

Noa jumped at the loud noise, hurrying forward to where the noise had occurred. Rounding a corner, she stopped in front of mess of broken glass and a small dark-haired person kneeling amidst the mess.

"A-Are you okay?" Noa asked, slightly worried. _'Good thing we're on a floor full of doctors!'_

"Y-Yes!" The person said, looking up at her. Noa saw the gentle gray eyes of a young man with black hair, eyes wide. "I tripped...again..."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Noa offered her hand to the young man, helping to his feet. He was dressed in scrubs, and Noa frowned slightly. _'This guy is a doctor?'_

"Thanks," the man said quietly. "I'm Yamada Hanatarou. Do you work here?"

Noa pointed to the ceiling. "I'm on the ninth floor. I'm looking for room 410A, can you tell me where I can find it?"

Hanatarou nodded, pointing down the hall. "It's at the end of this hallway. Uh, thanks again for helping me, Miss...?"

"Ueshima. Noa Ueshima," Noa said, shaking his hand. She smiled, leaving the poor guy to clean up his mess. _'I hope it wasn't important, whatever he broke...'_

Venturing down the hall, Noa quickly found the door she had been looking for. Knocking softly, she was answered with a gentle 'Enter'.

Opening the door, Noa stepped inside. This room was obviously an office, decorated sparsely but tastefully. A beautiful woman sat behind a desk near a window, scribbling on a clipboard. She looked up as Noa entered, gray eyes kind, yet commanding. "May I help you?"

'She must be Unohana Retsu,' Noa realized, face turning pink. She was the most powerful woman in the corporation, having been around since it's creation, and despite working in a hospital, was a major role model for Noa, and countless other females.

"Yes. I'm from the Ninth floor, and I have some work here that requires medical certification," Noa said quietly, coming forward when prompted. Unohana gladly accepted the packet, flipping through it carefully, writing small notes in the margins. Noa waited patiently, admiring the office and bathing in the command and grace that Unohana radiated. Once she was finished, Unohana stamped her insignia on the final page, and handed the packet back to Noa.

"There you are," she said, smiling. "Pardon me for being intrusive, but you must be new, no? I'm afraid I don't recognize you, and I know most everyone in the company, whether it be only in passing or on a personal basis. May I know your name?"

Noa smiled. "I'm Ueshima Noa, ma'am. It's a pleasure and honor to meet you."

Unohana smiled in return. "Ueshima? Are you the daughter of Daisuke Ueshima by any chance?" When Noa nodded, Unohana clasped her hands on her desk.

"I had known your father since he was young. I treated him on several occasions. His family has known mine for generations."

Noa nodded, already knowing this. The Ueshima were a part of the original founding families, and no matter how small their part was, they were still in touch with the others.

"Yes. He often spoke of you," Noa said. "Like I said, it's pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Unohana nodded. "I hope we cross paths in the future as well, Miss Ueshima. I wish you luck."

Thanking her, Noa left, still warm from the encounter. The day had started out dismal, but she supposed meeting one of your role models was bound to raise your spirits a bit.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed in relative calm. Ten minutes before she was supposed to clock out, Noa finished her days work and yawned. She was looking forward to a more restful nights sleep, along with the leftovers awaiting her. She reached into her briefcase to pack up some papers when he hand found the paper that Tousen had handed her earlier. Frowning, she pulled it out, dusting it off. She had initially been confused when he had given to her, for she thought her briefcase was secured. Turning it over, she noticed it had writing on it, in an unfamiliar, handwritten script.<p>

_'Miss Ueshima,'_

_'I would be honored if you would join me for a brief talk on the west side of the courtyard Thursday evening, near the birch tree grove. Seven o'clock. I look forward to seeing you.'_

It wasn't signed, which raised an alarm in Noa's mind. "Wha-?" A meeting in three days, in a rather secluded part of the company property? Did this person think she was stupid?

_'It couldn't have been Tousen. We just met, that would make no sense. No, it has to be whoever keeps sending me gifts.' _Crumpling the paper, Noa tossed it in the trash. This had to be settled, somehow, and soon.

_'I'm going to find out who this is, before Thursday. And when I do, I'm going to let whoever it is know that I'm not interested in the least!'_

* * *

><p>In his office, Aizen watched the sun go down, a new cup of tea in his hand. Noa had surely found the note by now. All he had to do now was stake his hopes in her intelligence and ability to discern the truth from the illusions.<p>

_'You have three days, Miss Ueshima. I'll be waiting.'_

* * *

><p><strong>We're getting closer, can you tell? I hope you're not getting too impatient. Don't worry, things are progressing.<strong>

**Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it, or hated it, you can let me know by clicking on that little 'review' button below (or above, I don't remember). I hate asking for reviews, but feedback is nice. And appreciated!**

**Thanks again. I hope you all have a good winter, whether you celebrate the holidays or not.**_  
><em>


	8. Sentimental

**A/N: Here's another chapter! I actually meant to get this one out a few days ago, but I've recently become addicted to playing Skyrim. If you ever want me to get something done, do not give me a game as addicting as that has been.**

**Anyways, here you go. Please enjoy.**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness, slight mentions of sexual activity. Just a fair warning, there will be mentions of such things in this story, but as for full scenes, I just wanted everyone to know that I will not be writing anything of the sort. So if you've been hanging out, waiting for a lemon scene, sorry. I can't write them. But just because there won't be scenes doesn't mean the characters won't talk about it. I won't put in anything too terribly graphic, but it will be there. If that makes you uncomfortable, then feel free to stop reading.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>After returning to her apartment, Noa changed out of her work clothes into something more casual. While waiting for some leftovers to heat up, she pulled out her laptop and opened a writing program, intent on solving whatever the hell was happening to her.<p>

_'Okay, let's see,'_ she thought to herself, drumming her fingers on the touch pad. _'All I'm certain of so far is that whoever this is works at Seireitei Inc., most likely in the Gotei Thirteen division since I've spent most of my time there, that they're most likely wealthy, and that they keep sticking poisonous flowers into bouquets.'_Typing all of the info down, she put her laptop to the side and retrieved her microwaved leftovers, sticking potato in her mouth in a rather unladylike manner.

_'I wonder if oleanders have some sort of meaning behind them,'_she mused. Opening a browser, she searched for information on oleanders. The science part of the information stated what she already knew, that the hardy plants were often used in landscaping due to their resilient and fast growth, despite being poisonous. She scrolled through a few sites before finding a small blurb about symbolism and folklore concerning oleanders. They were featured in many romance stories, however most of the stories ended with someone dying or being turned into said flower.

_'Yeah. That's totally romantic. This guy is twisted,'_Noa frowned as she closed the browser and summarized her findings in the writing program.

_'Now for a list of suspects,'_ she continued. She was guessing that the man (she was pretty sure it was a man) worked in the Gotei division, probably in her own department._ 'It makes sense. I haven't exactly been anywhere else.'_However, there was one thing that didn't exactly fit in. The note.

_'It was either planted in my briefcase and I didn't notice it until I bumped into Tousen, or he was there in order to give me the note,'_ Noa surmised. _'But that doesn't make much sense either. I've only been to the Las Noches division once, and I was there for a grand total of what, fifteen minutes? Besides, I was in Aizen's office for half that time, and in an elevator the other.' _

_'And I've only met a few people from that division,'_ she sighed. _'Tesla could be it, but I seriously doubt he's wealthy enough to send me food from Café Dordoni. Ulquiorra Cifer...He just doesn't seem like the type. The only other person is Aizen, and...'_

She stopped there, staring at the screen. She had considered Aizen, especially after the gala incident and seeing him at the fountain a few days ago._ 'And Tousen is one of his top men...'_

Noa shook her head, feeling ridiculous. _'This is Sōsuke Aizen! He could have any woman in the world, so why would he pick me of all people?'_It wasn't like she was demeaning herself- she knew she wasn't ugly or unappealing, but she knew she held little to no appeal to a man like Aizen. She had grown up hearing socialite gossip, and she knew men like him wanted something she wasn't able to provide.

_'It can't be him. It just can't.' _Shutting off her computer, she sat on her couch in her dimmed living room in her little apartment, and suddenly felt very small and lonely.

* * *

><p>Twelve hours later, Noa sat at her desk, sifting through her work. She had gone to bed after a few minutes of feeling sorry for herself, and had a somewhat peaceful nights sleep. Her morning had gone by normally, and she was mostly relieved to find no more surprises waiting at her door. She only thought mostly, because she was going to miss that delicious food when it was gone.<p>

Now, as she sat her office, her mind wandered back to her situation. She was tempted not to do what the note said, and skip going on Thursday, but she knew this would never be solved if she didn't. It was time for her to lay down the law. _'Two more days...I've got two more days to figure this mess out...'_

"Daydreaming, Ueshima?" Shūhei's voice broke Noa out of her reverie, and she blushed.

"Sorry. I got distracted."

Shūhei grinned pulling up a chair. "Love problems, maybe? You figure out who your secret admirer is yet?"

Noa cringed. "No, not yet. I'm still working on it. All the clues just don't make any sense when they're put together."

Shūhei rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmm...could it be someone from your past? An ex, perhaps, looking to renew an old flame?"

Noa raised a brow. She hadn't thought of that. "Maybe..." she said slowly, thinking back to her previous relationships.

She had two boyfriends in the past, one in high school and one at the university. The high school relationship was just that- your typical high school relationship, filled with first kisses and late-night phone calls and a break-up that had left her heartbroken for a week. She immediately crossed that one off the list- she could hardly remember what he even looked like.

The university relationship was more serious, and had lasted for over a year. She had met him in the campus bookstore, and had shared a few classes with him. They started going out, and things were looking good for a while. He was also the first person she experimented sexually with (a rather one-sided event, she remembered), but as time wore on, their differences became more obvious, and it was soon clear that it wasn't going to work out. They had parted on mostly mutual terms, still friends but not like before. She supposed a lot of relationships ended like that.

However, she had to count that guy out too. She just couldn't picture him ever seriously trying to win her back, and besides, last she heard was that he was in a steady relationship.

"On second thought, no," Noa told a rather disappointed Shūhei. The man shrugged, loosening his tie.

"Oh well. It was worth a thought." He rose from his seat, stretching and yawning. "I'm done bothering you for today. Back to work, Ueshima, or I'll put you on printing duty. Nami's been asking for you." Smiling wickedly, he returned to his office.

Rolling her eyes, Noa turned back to her computer, pulling up some drafts. "That guy is so weird sometimes..."

* * *

><p>"This is boring. Why are we the ones working to get the Cap'n laid? It's not like we're gonna get anything outta it..." Gin sighed from his his spot in Tousen's office. "Besides, what if we're over-estimating the young lady's intelligence?"<p>

"We work for Aizen, and therefore we have to do what he says," Tousen replied simply. "If you do not trust his motives, then why are you here?"

_'I never said I trusted him,'_ Gin thought to himself, propping his chin up on one slender hand. "All I'm saying is that the Cap'n's never gone through so much trouble for one scrawny girl, even if there is a reward waitin' at the end..."

Sighing, Tousen had to agree. "I will admit I thought it a little strange he'd go through such lengths over this. But in the end, when have we ever been able to predict what he was going to do? Not even Hirako Shinji could, and he was his department head for years. The only person we could argue to say that had any inkling of what went on in that man's mind was Urahara Kisuke, but you know how well he and Aizen get along."

Gin sighed again, agreeing. He gazed off into space for a moment, before a thought hit him.

"Hey, Tousen," Gin drawled as he spun lazily in a computer chair. "You ever stop to think of what might happen if this girl says no to the Cap'n?"

Tousen paused in his work, tapping his fingers against his desk. Truth be told, he had thought about that possibility. No one had ever said no to Aizen before and kept their job or, in some, admittedly more extreme cases, their lives.

He had met her for a mere moment, but from Aizen's descriptions and his first impression was that Ueshima Noa wasn't like most women. She was more likely to say no, and Tousen was slightly worried, despite himself.

"Yes," he admitted to Gin, turning to face him. "But it's not like she can. This is Aizen we're talking about. No one says no to Aizen."

Gin nodded, even though Tousen couldn't tell. "No one."

* * *

><p>After lunch, Noa finished up her day's work, and even got a good start on tomorrow's load before she was due to clock out. She knew Shūhei would have disapproved of how much work she was putting on herself despite being fairly new, but Noa didn't care. She liked her job, and she didn't want to use her lack of experience or seniority as an excuse to slack on her workload. She was perfectly capable of handling this, and much more at that. Besides, it wasn't like she had plans or anything.<p>

She clicked the print button on one of the documents, and frowned when nothing happened. She clicked it again- still nothing. Pushing back her chair, she checked to see if the cords were plugged in, which they were, and tried clicking it again. And again. And again (she wasn't a computer person).

"Stupid machine," she grumbled, shaking her mouse. She needed to print out a hard copy of this cover page and file it before she went home, and the stupid thing decided to die on her. "Gah!" She smacked the printer with the palm of her hand, only to have it sputter to life and subsequently burst into flames.

"S-Shūhei!" Noa yelled, trying to dampen the fire with the back cushion to her chair. "The printer is on fire!"

"Wha-?" Her door burst open, and a confused Shūhei hurried in. At the sight of the burning printer from hell and a panicking Noa, he dropped his mug of coffee. "_Holy shit_! Not again!"

Taking the cushion from Noa, he began to smack the flames with it, having more success than the younger woman. The flames finally went out, and Noa unplugged the printer, breathing fast. "T-thanks..."

Shūhei tossed the ruined cushion on the floor and dusted off his suit. "No problem. It happens quite often, actually. There's a long history of battles between this department and printers. I think someone even wrote and book on it once."

Noa smiled despite the situation, and looked at her superior. "Really?"

Shūhei nodded. "Yeah. And at every month's department head meeting, I get my ass chewed out for how much money we spend on printers." Shaking his head, he turned to leave. "Don't worry about whatever you were doing, you can go home. I'll have someone come clean up this mess and set up a new, preferably less temperamental printing system."

Noa nodded, grabbing her things and shutting off her computer. It didn't take long for her to reach the ground floor, and she stood outside the doors for a minute, admiring the sunset. She couldn't see it sinking into the sea at this level, but the colors in the clouds were visible. She usually left too late to actually see the full sunset, so this was nice. Looking around the view from the large staircase, she found her gaze locked on the western courtyard. She couldn't see much through the birch trees that populated that area, but she did notice it was rather well hidden and in close proximity to the Las Noches division. Frowning, she began her descent. Despite the fact that someone from the Gotei Division would make more sense, the more she thought about it, the clues did seem to point to someone from the Las Noches division.

_'What if I'm being played?'_ She thought suddenly, stopping at the fountain and leaning against the concrete ledge. _'What if someone is just messing with me? Or worse, what if someone is trying to hurt me?'_She rubbed her arms, as a cold wind began to blow. It was going to rain in a couple of days, she guessed. Great, just what she needed.

Terrible scenarios began to play through her mind. She would go to the supposed meeting in the courtyard, in the dark and rain, only to find that no one awaited her. Or worse, someone was there, and they kidnapped her._ 'Not to mention they obviously know where I live...'_She shivered, deciding to head to her train.

_'I should tell someone where I'm going to be, just in case this turns out badly,'_she decided. She'd heard stories of people who had gone somewhere without informing anyone, and ended up lost or, in some cases, dead. She didn't want that to happen to her, of course, but she was also determined to find out who this person was.

_'But who should I tell? And what should I tell them?'_

* * *

><p>Tesla had just arrived at his home, a modest but comfortable flat in a modest but comfortable neighborhood. He had picked up a meal on the way home (he knew how to cook, and was pretty good at it, but after a day of working under Nnoitra one wasn't always in the mood for cooking), and was settling on his couch to watch TV when his cell phone began to ring.<p>

Setting his food aside, he retrieve it from where it was charging._ 'Noa? Why is she calling me?'_Slightly concerned, he accepted the call and placed it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Tesla? It's Noa." Her voice was quiet, which wasn't unusual, but he could hear that something was off in her tone.

"Hey. What's up?" The blonde man ventured slowly, leaning against his kitchen counter. "Is...everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Noa replied, a little to quickly for his tastes. "I was just...calling to ask you a favor. I hope I'm not intruding too much, but-"

"Of course not," Tesla replied. He and Noa weren't best friends, and it wasn't like they knew each other all that well, but if she was calling him it had to be for a good reason, and he wasn't going to be critical.

"I was wondering if you'd come have dinner with me, on Thursday," Noa said quickly, and Tesla let out a sigh of relief. He was worried she was hurt, or in danger, and she just wanted a date to dinner? Well, he could do that.

"Of course. I'd be delighted," he said, smiling softly. "Where? What time?"

"Um, there's this really good place near where I live. And how about eight? I'm meeting someone in the western courtyard near the Las Noches building at seven, but if you're willing to wait, I'm sure I'll be done by eight," she explained. "I could meet you in the main courtyard, if that's all right?"

"Of course," Tesla replied. "See you then, I suppose."

Noa voiced her thanks, and hung up. Tesla returned to his couch, relieved yet somewhat puzzled. _'I wonder why she asked all of a sudden. Hmm.'_ A thought dawned on him, and he blushed slightly, turning to his food. _'Nah...'_

* * *

><p>Hanging up her phone, Noa dropped it on the cushion next to her, a little of the stress on her taken off. She had chosen Tesla as the best person to inform, as he was the least affiliated with her and her life. Noa had also decided that telling him straight out that she was being stalked would have been messy, so instead she would have him there to meet her at a specified time in a specified place, and had also told him where she was going to be before that. That way, if the worst happened, someone would know where she had been and what she was doing. It wasn't the best or safest way, but it was convenient for her situation.<p>

"And, just to be safe, I'll leave a note here saying exactly what's going on, so if something happens they'd only have to search my apartment in order for a clue." Sighing, she pushed her hair out of her eyes. "But nothing bad is going to happen...I have to keep telling myself that..."

Despite all the stress and mystery surrounding this whole fiasco, Noa couldn't help but wonder who the person was and what they wanted or expected. Like lots of other girls, when she was younger she had always imagined herself in some fairytale romance, daydreaming about a handsome man who would sweep her off her feet. But, as time wore on and she experienced more of the world, a lot of her old daydreams disappeared, moved in favor of a more realistic life. She missed the old days of wishing on stars and dandelion puffs.

_'I should get some sleep before I get any more sentimental,'_ she laughed at herself, and went to change.

* * *

><p><em>"Psst! Menoli!"<em>

Sighing, the pixie-haired secretary looked up from her screens, to her pig-tailed counterpart peeking over her desk. "What is it, Loly?"

"I've been doing a little research, and I think I've found out who Aizen's been talking about!" Loly waved a sheaf of papers in the air. "Wanna take a look?"

Menoli crossed her arms. "Don't you have better things to do than go snooping in things that you should keep your big nose out of? _I_ do."

Loly glared, pink nails rapping against the hard wood. "Come on. I _know_ you're interested." When the blonde woman didn't reply, Loly stuck out her tongue and returned to her own desk, flipping through the papers she had lifted from Aizen's desk. She had snuck in while the janitor wasn't looking one evening and rifled through the things on Aizen's desk, immediately noticing the slim black folder marked with the Information Department seal. She had taken it, hoping he wouldn't notice it was gone. _'I'll just put it back when I'm done...'_

Taking out the first paper, she glared at the young woman looking up at her from it. "Ueshima Noa, huh?" She looked through the information, disappointed when she didn't find anything particularly incriminating. _'This woman is so boring! Why the hell is Aizen interested in another bland chick like her?' _Pushing the papers away, she pouted. _'This isn't fair. I work my ass off for that man and he hardly gives me a second glance. I'm ten times better than this Ueshima woman, so why don't I get any special treatment?' _To anyone else, a file with your name on it on Aizen's desk would be extremely troubling. Loly would give anything for it to be hers. Hell, she had Aizen's file at her _house_, next to her pillow. She liked to gaze at his picture before falling asleep.

_'Something else is up here...There must be more than meets the eye...'_

* * *

><p>"Sir, your wine."<p>

Aizen looked up from his paper, moving it so the waiter could pour his drink. He had left the office, intent on going home, but had somehow wound up at the little cafe Gin had shown him a week ago. After discovering they were open until late, he decided to stay a while. It was in a nice area, after all. Quiet and undisturbed. So unlike most of the city, and his personal life.

He enjoyed his job, and the power that came with it. But after a while, things just started going by too fast. It was nice to be able to slow down and relax without worrying about anything.

The door opened, a bell signaling the waiter to show the young couple who had entered to a seat near Aizen. Turning back to his paper, Aizen pretended to read while watching the couple out of the corner of his eye.

The girl was small, with a short bobbed cut. Her boyfriend wasn't much taller, with a cocked fedora and a scruffy beard. They seemed to be enjoying each others company, and for a sliver of a moment Aizen envied how easy they seemed to fit into each other.

_'Bah.' _Shaking his head, he picked up his glass of wine and downed it in one gulp. Folding up his paper, he left the amount of money he owned on the table and left, heading to where his driver had parked.

It had been a while since he had been out with a woman. Maybe that was why he had leapt into this whole thing with Noa so quickly, so intent on winning this game that he had begun slacking in his workload, gazing off into empty space, getting sentimental. Gods, this woman was ruining him. And she didn't even know it was him.

_'Things will start to get easier,'_ he told himself as he got into his car, motioning for his driver to take him home. _'Things will start going as planned, in just a few more days...'_

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading! I hope I'm not disappointing anyone. I promise, the next couple of chapters will be much more suspenseful and surprising.<strong>

** And I'm sure none of you are the type, but if you EVER find yourself in a situation where you think someone is stalking you or has any ill intent towards you, please, tell someone. It's _okay_ to tell someone, especially if it keeps you safe. **

**I'm done preaching. Have a nice day!  
><strong>


	9. Frustration

**Hello, everyone. I'm very sorry for how long it's taken me to update - I've been hit with a lot lately, and I haven't had much time or concentration for writing. **

**However, here is a new chapter, and I'm glad to say the story is going to pick up much faster now. Or, I hope it will, at least. We'll have to see.**

**Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read/review/alert/favorite. It means a lot.**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The last few days before her mysterious meeting went by faster than she wanted, much to Noa's frustration. She had planned to bury herself in work, but Shūhei had messed that up by giving her a lighter load than usual. He was convinced she was ill or something, and had even gone so far to convince a member of the Fourth Division to call her in for a consultation.<p>

Isane Kotetsu, the woman who had given her the check-up and who was also the vice-head of the Division, had given her a clean bill of health. In a small, sterile room on the fourth floor, Noa had her eyes and ears checked, was questioned on past illnesses and sexual history, and had blood drawn. "You're fine test-wise," Isane had said as Noa touched the place where her blood had been drawn tenderly, "But sometimes stress and other factors can make someone feel ill. Take it easy, okay?"

Noa nodded, thanking the woman and smoothing her pants. She couldn't blame Shūhei, really, because the anticipation about the next day _was_starting to make her feel sick to her stomach. She couldn't stop imagining worst-case scenarios, and while she did have a back-up plan in case things went awry, she really didn't have a good feeling about any of this.

_'I'm crazy,'_ she thought to herself in the elevator back up to the ninth floor_. 'Back in high school my friends would always make fun of me for being so cynical about these kinds of things.'_She never enjoyed playing princess or reading fairy-tales. "All those happy endings aren't realistic," she'd say as her friends swooned over Prince Charming. "Really, what prince would choose the dirty serving girl over the beautiful heiress?"

Sighing, Noa rubbed her eyes and yawned. The elevator stopped, and she was ready to get back to work. She supposed other women would be excited by the prospect of a secret admirer. To Noa, it was merely a disturbance in her normal routine. "It's probably not going to be anything worthwhile after all, and I'll just end up wasting my time." She stepped out into the hallway, nodding to those she passed in her way to her own small office. The appointment had taken up a good chunk of her afternoon work time- probably planned by Shūhei – so there wasn't much left for her to do other than finish up what documents she had been working on earlier.

Stopping in front of Shūhei's open door, she rapped on the frame, peeking inside. The tattooed man looked up from his screen, a small smirk on his face. "How'd it go?"

Noa shrugged. "Nothing's wrong with me, just liked I told you earlier."

"I don't believe you," her superior chastised, leaning back in his chair. "I've been here a while, Ueshima, and there is definitely something eating at you."

Plucking a stray string from her cuff, Noa sighed. "I'm just a little melancholy. I always get this way around allergy season," she lied. "There's really no need to concern yourself with my health, sir."

Rolling his eyes, Shūhei waved her away. "It's my job to make things run smoothly around here, and when one little cog in this machine is creaky, it's only a matter of time before the whole thing collapses," he explained, short nails tapping against the oiled wood of his desk. "And while I don't exactly believe you're telling me the whole truth, I'll pull my nose out of it this time."

Noa nodded, and turned to leave. "Oh, and Ueshima?" She turned, one on the door frame, a wary look on her face. Shūhei's brow creased as he held up a finger. "I pulled your work load for a reason. You've got potential, and I didn't want to see you lose yourself under the stress. You're setting yourself up for collapse, and at some point I won't be able to set you right. Don't push it, you got it?"

"Yes, sir," Noa replied softly.

* * *

><p>Finishing the rest of her work was easy- going home and facing her thoughts was not. After taking a long bath, Noa settled on her couch with a cup of ginger tea to soothe her nerves and watched the blank screen of her small television for a while.<p>

_'Shūhei's right,'_ she decided, sighing. _'I can't let this bother me...I _won't_ let this bother me. I need to grow up...it's time to be an adult and...act like adults do!'_

She marched to her room, stopping to look at herself in the mirror as she turned off the bathroom light. "Oh, don't look at me like that," she told her reflection. "I've only been an adult legally for four years...cut me some slack."

* * *

><p>The sun peeked through the white chiffon curtains, rays of light dancing across the form dozing in the wide bed. On the other side of the apartment, a metallic beeping began, and with it the sound of hot water being poured into a porcelain cup.<p>

Eyes opening slowly, Aizen lifted an arm to his eyes to shield them from the diffused glow coming in from the veiled windows. Sighing, he rose, letting the silk sheets fall away from his chiseled form, and hunched over slightly, gathering his thoughts.

_'Thursday,'_ he remembered suddenly, and a small grin tugged at his lips. He had been waiting for this day all week- he could only hope his efforts had been enough to persuade Noa. Moving to the side, he stood, glancing to the empty side of bed, letting his gaze linger before turning away.

Dressing, he went through his normal morning routine, grabbing his cup of tea and his jacket before leaving the apartment. While in the elevator his phone rang, and after fishing it out of his jacket with one hand he noticed it was a message from Gin.

_'Ready, Cap'n?'_

Aizen merely smirked.

* * *

><p>"Holy crap, Ueshima. I wanted you to take my advice, but I didn't think it'd happen so fast..." Shūhei peeked into Noa's office, rubbing his head in apparent confusion.<p>

"Hmmm?" Noa looked up from her screen, nibbling on the end of her pen. "Did you say something?" Leaning back in her chair (now with a new cushion), she yawned, and ran her fingers through her loose hair.

"You," Shūhei began again, leaning against her door frame, "Are a strange woman. One day, you're in here walking around like you've been given a death sentence. And now..." He trailed off, gesturing towards the young woman spinning slowly in her chair.

"I just took your advice," Noa said simply, stopping her rotations. "You were right."

Shūhei's brow rose. "I was...right."

Noa nodded. "You see, I've decided to be more... relaxed."

"More relaxed."

"Yes. And more adult."

"I see." There was a slightly awkward pause as neither of them said anything. Shūhei cleared his throat, and began to inch out the door. "Well then...Have fun with that, Ueshima."

Her door closed with a soft click, and Noa smiled. It was getting strange reactions, but she had already decided if it meant keeping her job, then she'd be as relaxed as she could.

Looking at her computer clock, she realized it was already four. _'Three more hours until my little rendezvous... And you know what? I'm going to meet him – or her – and tell them that I am not interested in whatever they want. And then I'm going to have dinner with Tesla, have some wine, and fall asleep in my bed, unattached and unaffiliated.' _Stretching, Noa uncapped her pen and pulled a notebook closer and began scribbling in it. '_Yes, I could definitely get used to this adult thing.'_

* * *

><p>At a quarter to seven, Noa clocked out and headed down eight floors to the bottom floor. A part of her was nervous, but she pushed the butterflies away and steeled herself in what she hoped was an adult-like stature.<p>

The sun was sinking, casting pink and orange stripes across the buildings and making shadows fall from the trees. There were a lot of people making their way to the trains and parking garage, but the pathway to the western courtyard was completely empty. Feeling slightly out of place, she made her way towards the towering birch trees. It was now almost seven, she realized, as she checked her phone.

This was the longer way to the Las Noches division, she realized. The path twisted into an S shape, allowing for a more scenic, hidden pathway to the other side of the business giant. As stupid as it sounded, she felt like a character in a fairy-tale, wandering through a white wood to someplace hidden, someplace forbidden. _'This beautiful path doesn't fit in with how the Las Noches division is perceived at all...'_

Rounding the last curve, Noa came out into a modestly sized courtyard lined with more birch and maple trees, tiny green leaves peeking from the red and white bark. She paused, unsure of where to go. There didn't seem to be anyone there.

_'I knew it,' She thought suddenly to herself. 'It was just hoax, a bad trick. I'm so stupid for falling for this...and now I have to wait another hour until I meet Tesla...'_

"Good evening."

Noa froze, body angled to leave. A slow shiver went up her spine as the smoky voice echoed through her body. _'No...way...' _

She turned slowly, hand going to her loose hair nervously, and swallowed deeply. There, sitting across from her, hidden in the shadow of a overhanging oleander bush was Sosuke Aizen, a casual smile on his face.

_'Well, so much for being calm and composed...' _Sighing quietly, she turned to face the older man. "It was you who wanted to meet me? And who sent the flowers and food?"

He nodded, leaning forward slightly. "Yes? Did you like them? I hoped you would."

That struck her oddly, and for a moment she couldn't respond. "Y-yes," she replied after a pause. "They were...thoughtful." _'But why?' _

Another small smile, and he gestured for her to approach him. Slightly unsure, she ultimately decided that if he wanted to harm her, he would have done it while she wasn't facing him or knew he was there. She sat next to him on the small rock wall he was leaning against. He was dressed in a buttoned shirt and black slacks, a suit jacket folded next to him. There was a small silence as neither one of them made an attempt to speak.

"I suppose you're wondering why I asked you to come here," Aizen said, arms crossed and looking over at her. Noa laughed hoarsely, painfully aware of herself. She felt so small in his presence. "Yeah, I suppose that crossed my mind once or twice."

Aizen smiled again, and looked up to the sky. "You know, I can see you. Who you really are." Noa flinched, looking at him with a confused look on her face. _'Wha-?'_

"I don't think even you know it yet," Aizen continued. "You try to hide it, but I can see it – you long for something _more_, don't you?" When Noa didn't answer, he continued.

"I can give you that something more. I can give you _so_ many things...you only have to say yes."

Blood rushed to Noa's head, and for a moment she felt like she was going to faint. "Wha-what are you saying?" _'Please don't be saying what I think you're saying...' _

Nodding, Aizen uncrossed his arms. "Yes. I want you to come work for me, Ueshima Noa."

_'...Huh?' _At once, all the blood in her head rushed out, except for what was left coloring her cheeks bright pink. _'I thought...I thought...Why did I think that?'_

"You have a lot of talent," Aizen said, "But you lack initiative and experience. I'm offering you a place where you can get all that, and more." Reaching to his side, he pulled out a slim black folder with his red insignia embossed on it. "You're rather young, so I'm taking chance with even bringing this up. It's the offer of a lifetime, Noa."

She shivered again as he said her first name, a deeply personal intrusion. _'I can't believe this...The most powerful man in the world, offering me a job...'_ Noa hated to admit it, but it was tempting. Very tempting. Who knows where she could go, working under such a man, and in such close proximity? She was young, yes, she knew that. But he had said she was talented, and that was enough to turn her in his favor ever-so-slightly.

But...

Noa loved her job at the Gotei Thirteen. She loved working for Shūhei, she loved her little office, she loved her desk and she even loved her exploding printers. The taste of power was temptingly strong, but her loyalty to the Editing and Publishing Department was stronger. _'Maybe I can be an adult after all...'_

"No."

Aizen paused, folder still in his grasp. "Excuse me?"

Noa swallowed deeply again, finally daring to look up into his face. "Sorry, sir, but I'm going to have to say no. You see, I love my job, and I want to stay there, even if it means working up the ladder the hard way."

His eyes, formally a pleasant brown, turned darker, almost black. There was another silence, a much heavier one than before, and Noa could tell he hadn't expected her to say no.

"...I see." Clearing his throat, Aizen reached for his jacket. Noa stood, dusting off her pants. Aizen paused suddenly, and turned to face the younger woman. Forced to step back, Noa looked up, realizing again how tall he was, and how much smaller she felt.

"I admire your loyalty, Ueshima," he said softly, returning to the use of her last name. Grabbing the folder, he held it out to her. "If you change your mind, the information is in there. Give it a thought. You might want it more than you think."

Noa nodded stiffly, and bowed, not looking up until she heard him walking away. She watched him turn the corner, before turning her self and heading back to the main courtyard._ '...I still can't believe I thought he was going to ask me _that_...'_

* * *

><p>"So, Cap'n? Do we got a new employee or wha'?" Gin asked cheerfully as Aizen rejoined him and Tousen in his office.<p>

"No," Aizen said simply, sitting in his chair and grabbing the cup of tea waiting for him on his desk.

"What department did you put 'er in-What do you mean, _no_?"

Tousen cleared his throat, looking troubled. "She...refused?"

Aizen nodded, taking a sip of his tea and sighing softly.

There was a small silence before Gin began to laugh nervously. "She said no? That scrawny lil' girl said no? Well, now what?"

Setting down his cup, Aizen leaned back in his chair. "Kaname, do you have access to department transfer forms?"

"Yes, sir," the blind man replied, hands clasped behind his back. "I can have them printed at any time. Are you saying...?"

Aizen nodded. "I'll give her a day," he said quietly, and both men flinched at the not-so-hidden want in his voice. "A day, and if she hasn't contacted me by then, I want Ueshima Noa transferred from the Gotei Thirteen to the Las Noches division by Monday."

_'I get what I want, Ueshima Noa, and you are first on the list.'_

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, leave a review. If you didn't...I'm sorry. Feel free to tell me how you feel, just keep it civil, please.<strong>

**I have a quick question: I've been trying for longer chapters, but as you can tell I don't always produce that. I tend to get shorter chapters out quicker, but I feel that the longer chapters are more...interesting. **

**How do you guys feel? Would you rather wait a week or so for a long, detailed chapter? Or do you like having shorter, not as detailed chapters that are published quickly? **

**Thanks for reading!_  
><em>**


	10. Fire

**Thank you to: rabiosarabiosa, yukichan10, Sarah, skycord1990, safa56bmc, Yuzen for reviewing the last chapter. And thank you to everyone who faved/alerted/etc.. You guys are pretty cool.**

**Here's chapter ten. The fun is about to start... :)**

**Enjoy!**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness**

**I don't own Bleach!  
><strong>

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><p>Although she was exhausted, Noa didn't quite feel like going to bed once she got home. It was later than usual, due to her having dinner with Tesla, but there were so many things running through her mind that she settled on the couch and began to sort them out.<p>

The dinner had been nice; she'd taken him to an Indian restaurant near her apartment. She hadn't mentioned where she had been before meeting up with him, and he hadn't asked. Noa had tried her best to keep talking and smiling, but she guessed that Tesla figured something was up.

"You okay?" He had asked, setting down his fork and looking her in the eye. Shrugging, Noa had merely smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

She hadn't liked lying to him, but she knew that he would have freaked out if he knew what Aizen was offering her. Tesla seemed to have protective feelings for her regarding her involvement with the Las Noches division, and while she was grateful for his concern she didn't want him to worry or get involved. It could end up being disastrous on his end. She knew he loved his job; she didn't want to compromise him in any way, even if it meant shouldering these things on her own.

_'I promised myself I'd be an adult,' _she told herself, sinking back into her couch and closing her eyes. _'Aizen's just going to have to see that I don't want to work for him. I like my job, and I'm gonna stay there.'_

But, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself of this, there was that ache somewhere deep inside her that kept reminding her of how much power and profit she was turning down. _'You could go so much further with him,'_ it said, rising up in her. _'You could be up there with the elite of the elite, the most powerful people in the world. You know you have it in you, and he knows you have it in you. All you need to do is say yes...' _Visions of herself at the top, surrounded by riches and power and knowledge beckoned temptingly on the edge of her conscious.

A memory from when she was younger suddenly appeared in her head. She was seven, and was studying with her father. She liked these memories of him the best, when they sat together in the quiet sun room and learned together.

She had just finished reciting a passage in a different language, a special assignment from her teacher. Noa had been in special classes with other young children of her age and social standing, where they were tutored in advanced topics before the rest of their peers. She wasn't a genius, but words and languages came easily to her, so she excelled in those lessons. Her father in turn enjoyed listening and helping where he could. He took pride in that his daughter was smart and advanced for her age, and Noa liked to make him proud.

"You could run the world someday, Noa," he had laughed, ruffling her hair. Her eyes had shone, and even though she knew he was exaggerating, she pictured herself sitting at the top of the world somewhere, a commander with grace and charisma, and suddenly she thought that she wanted that more than anything else. She had grown up surrounded by stories of people with power, and how they came to have that power. Some had been born with it, others had worked hard their entire lives to gain it. And there were others, like Sosuke Aizen, who had appeared relatively unknown and had taken the world by the neck.

_ 'That isn't what this is about,' _she told herself again, opening her eyes and standing. _'What honor is there in gaining a position through lies and deceit? I want to claw my way through the ranks __on my own talent and blood, not riding through the masses on the gilded remains of others.' _

Sighing, she rubbed her eyes. _'I need sleep.' _Going to her bedroom, she didn't bother to undress and slid onto her bed, laying her head on the pillows and closing her eyes once more. Trying to block out her mind, she burrowed her face into the pillow, trying to wrap herself in sleep. And yet...

She hated to think about it, but there was a dark something that attracted her to Aizen, in more than just a respectful, awe-inspiring way. No, there was something _else_ there, something she preferred to keep hidden in a tiny corner of her heart. Something she knew could ruin her if she allowed it to get free.

Images of his face and body and scent flashed behind her closed eyelids. _'He's so beautiful...' _

Eventually those images focused on his eyes. They had changed so fast, from a rich chocolate to a burning darkness. His eyes were his power, and they were his shield. Noa wondered briefly if they were unbreakable, before slipping into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>She woke the next morning, feeling slightly refreshed. Sleeping had done her good, and she was feeling optimistic about the day ahead. Going through her normal routine, she made it to the trains and wasn't even that bothered about standing. <em>'I should be grateful I'm in this position to begin with.'<em>

Spring was definitely present on the Seireitei Inc. grounds. Blossoms fluttered to the ground in the gentle breeze, and even people's outfits were changing. There was still the uniform business suit, but jackets were off and women wore more skirts than before, along with loose hair. Noa herself had her hair tied back, for she believed she looked older with it like that.

Heading into the Gotei Thirteen building, she made her way to the elevators, sharing space with several other employees heading up the building. Flipping through the calender on her phone absentmindedly, she waited until she stopped on the ninth floor and stepped out.

"Shūhei wants to see you," a voice said immediately, as soon as the elevator doors closed behind Noa. Looking up in surprise, she saw Ikeda, a tall man with a head of mousy brown hair. He was standing off to the side of the elevator, and Noa had the feeling he had been waiting for her there.

"Why?" She asked cautiously, a sour feeling in her stomach. Ikeda looked away briefly, shrugging.

"Dunno. He seems pretty upset, though, so I'd go now if I were you."

Nodding, Noa set her lips in a grim line and made her way towards Shūhei's office. She had no idea why he'd be upset with her; she hadn't done anything to make him angry, had she?

Going up to his closed door, she knocked quietly.

"Come in." Shūhei's voice sounded tense, and Noa dreaded what she'd find as she pushed the door open.

He was sitting at his desk, staring at a sheaf of papers in his hands. Noa frowned, and swallowed roughly. She respected and trusted this man; she hated to think she had done something to release her from his favor.

"Sir? You wanted to see me?"

Nodding his head, Shūhei looked at her with an expression Noa couldn't read. "You know, Ueshima, I was under the impression that you enjoyed working here."

A terrible feeling began to burn in her stomach. "I do, sir," she said hoarsely, raising her head.

"Then why," Shūhei said immediately, waving the papers in the air, voice raising in obvious anger, "Did I have division transfer forms with your name on them waiting on my desk as soon as I walked in this morning?"

Shock filled Noa to the brim. _'What?' _Her throat closed in anger. She knew exactly who had done this, and mentally berated herself for not seeing it coming. In her absence of speech, Shūhei continued.

"Not just any division transfer forms," he said, placing the papers on the table. "Transfer forms to move you into the Las Noches division. Tell me, Ueshima, is loyalty really_ that _unimportant to you? Because if it is, I want you to walk out and _never_ come back."

"No!" The force at which she replied made both Noa and Shūhei's eyes widen in shock. "No," she said again, in a smaller voice. "Th-that's not it at _all_, sir." Taking a breath to clear her thoughts, she then told Shūhei everything that had transpired between Aizen and her yesterday. How he had been the one tempting her to his side through gifts and clever words.

She wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but his frown deepened as her story came to an end. "And I swear, sir, I refused on the spot. I _don't_ want to work for him." An ache in her wrist made her unclench her fists, which were white from being held in a tight ball for much of her speech.

It was quiet for what seemed like a long time. Noa was afraid Shūhei didn't believe her story; she barely believed it herself.

A sigh escaped his lips, and her heart loosened a bit as he tried to smile weakly. "It seems we have a problem, then." Picking up the papers, he studied them. "I really hate that guy..."

Knowing who he was talking about, Noa collapsed into a chair in front of his desk. "Is there anything we can do, sir?"

Another sigh, this one heavier. "As we are now, no," Shūhei replied. "The forms are signed by Aizen, with an official request from the man himself. It's also backed by the signature of his two top advisers. This is as official as it gets, I'm afraid."

Rubbing her temples, Noa resisted the urge to bang her head on the desk. "I'm going over there," she said quietly, "And telling him to his face that I refuse to work for him. I don't care if it kills me."

"It might," Shūhei said dryly. "I'll do what I can here. I'll go straight to Yamamoto with an appeal, if it comes to that. Ukitake and Kyoraku will help me."

Standing, Noa thanked him and left, stepping quickly to the elevator. She fumed the entire way down and through the lobby, shaking with both anger and fear. She was heading back into the lion's den, a dangerous journey for such a slight woman.

It was still early, so several groups of people were still making their way through the courtyard. Noa ignored the flow of people, taking the shortest route to the Las Noches division, whose grounds were a lot emptier than the Gotei Thirteen's.

The stark white interior of the building made her wince, and she cursed whoever had designed the building, heading to the elevator. Pushing the glowing blue button for the top floor, she dusted nonexistent dust and lint from her clothes and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Too soon, the elevator doors opened with a small chime, and she stepped out into the long hallway, heading straight to the large doors she knew led into Aizen's office.

"Hey!" A shrill voice called from a desk down the hall. A pigtailed woman glared at Noa, pink eyes harsh. "You can't be here!"

Ignoring her, Noa grasped the handle of the door, and opened it, stepping inside the cage.

* * *

><p>Aizen had been enjoying a hot cup of tea when Loly's voice rang from behind the door. A smirk crossed his lips as he leaned back in his chair, waiting. He knew who was coming.<p>

Sure enough, the doors opened and Ueshima Noa stepped inside. Her eyes were on fire, and her body was tense. Smirk widening, Aizen set down his cup and laid his hands on the desk. "Good. You're here."

The fire in her eyes blazed at the sound of his voice, which was intentionally condescending.

"I told you I didn't want to work for you, sir," Noa said roughly, and Aizen watched as her knuckles turned white as she clenched them. "You had no right to-"

"I was severely disappointed when you failed to contact me after our meeting," Aizen interrupted, long fingers tapping against the wood of his desk. "I couldn't think of a reason as to why you'd refuse such a rare opportunity, so I did you a favor and had you transferred directly. Your things will be moved as soon as I call in the workers."

Noa's mouth opened in mute shock, and Aizen rose from his chair, moving to the front of his desk. Leaning against the polished wood, he crossed his arms over his chest, and he reveled in how she seemed to retreat into herself, gazing at him.

"You see, I get what I want," he continued. "Your talents are merely one thing on a list of many others. And I do not like resistance when it comes to getting what I want."

"But, because I know this all must be extremely troubling to you, I'll give you a choice." Noa's eyes widened in apparent hope, and something deep inside him squirmed. Pushing it back, he gazed at her intensely, counting on the illusions within his eyes to protect and convince.

"Either you work for me, or you don't work at all. Your choice, Miss Ueshima. Choose wisely."

* * *

><p>Instantly, all hopes were lost. With that one sentence, Aizen had bound her within all his snares and plans. Noa tried to think as all the anger rose in her throat, threatening to come out as tears. One half of her wanted to walk out, and the other half screamed at her to stay. If she left, there was no future left for her in Seireitei Inc., not even as a janitor. She'd be lucky if she could get hired at a fast food resteraunt.<p>

If she stayed, however, there was a chance, no matter how small, that she could someday return to the Gotei Thirteen, back to the Ninth Division, back to Shūhei. Working under Aizen would be a bundle of nightmares, she knew, but it was better than the other options.

She didn't want to do it; she really didn't. But she had no other choice. He had given her no other choice, and she knew he had been planning this all along. There was no way to refuse Aizen.

To think, everything had been working out okay until now. So much for her optimistic mood.

She looked up, jaw set firmly. "_Fine_," she hissed. Instantly Aizen's eyes blazed in triumph, and despite herself Noa wanted to drown in their intense color. They drew her in like magnets.

"Excellent." Holding out his hand, he waited for her to grasp it.

Eying like it was diseased, Noa hesitated. _'Is it really worth it?'_

The memory of her father patting her head flashed in her head, and she closed her eyes briefly.

_'You could rule the world someday.'_

She extended her hand, marveling how small it felt in the expanse of Aizen's own. 'They're so soft...' Barely aware of her hand moving up and down, Noa looked up again into the brown orbs, fighting against being sucked into their depths. Promising herself she'd escape, she tightened her grip on Aizen's hand, watching as the fires blazed again.

"Welcome to Las Noches, Ueshima Noa."

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><p><strong>If you are reading this, thank you! Hopefully you liked it. If you did, I'd love to know. If you didn't, I'd appreciate your constructive criticism. I like advice.<strong>

**Thanks for reading. :)**


	11. Coercion

**I'm terribly sorry this has taken me so long to update. Long story short, my iPod died (permanently) , school happened, prom happened and life happened. But hopefully you aren't too mad.**

**Huge, magnificent thank you's to: **

**rabiosarabiosa **

**Okyptos _(I shall try!)_**

**InkOverLoad _(Thank you for giving it a try!)_**

**KhAel _(I'm sorry!)_**

**VampireSiren _(tee hee) _**

**skycord1990**

**Bibliophile Nicole _(I'm so happy you like her, and that you like them in the "real world." :])_**

**safa56bmc _(heh heh, you are welcome)_**

**Please enjoy!_  
><em>**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness**

**I don't own anything Bleach related! This is a fanfiction, for fun!  
><strong>

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><p>"I'm glad you're here. For a moment I thought you weren't coming."<p>

Fighting back the urge to sigh, Noa stared at the large hands clasped around a dainty teacup. Aizen smirked victoriously at her from his desk, and took a sip from the china cup.

She had hoped, when she woke up, that perhaps it had been a nightmare and she wasn't actually transferred to the Las Noches division. But she knew that she wasn't that lucky, so she dressed in black pants, a gray pinstriped blouse and, after putting her hair up in a tight bun, left for work. The train ride had been more unpleasant for her than usual, for she was unable to find anything pleasant to think about. And from the moment she had stepped inside Aizen's office, there was a hard pit in her stomach, threatening to rise up. All in all, it was going to be one of _those_days.

He didn't wait for her to reply. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me. It's important to make a good impression on your superiors when starting a new job. You of all people should know that."

She didn't know what to do. Noa neither agreed nor disagreed with him; either could prove to be dangerous. Remaining cautious was her best bet, or else she might not ever get out of here.

"What would you like me to do, sir?" Noa asked, changing the topic. Work, at least, would give her something to do, instead of standing silently and looking like a fool. She had no idea what he expected her to do; she really wasn't that versatile outside of editing and related things.

She could feel his smirk grow. "Eager, hmm? Very well." Reaching into his desk, he pulled out a slim packet of papers. "I have a meeting in a few minutes. Would you be kind enough to read through these and create a summary while I'm gone?"

_'Like you're really giving me a choice...'_Noa took the papers, flipping through them. Statements and a analysis of the months earnings were contained within. Nothing too hard, but with Aizen you never knew.

"What should I do with them once I've finished?" She tucked the packet under her arm, watching as Aizen rose from his seat and donned his jacket. He glanced at her.

"Just leave them on my desk. The meeting shouldn't be too long, so you can wait here until I return. We'll discuss your pay and hours then."

Nodding, she step aside as he picked up a slim black tablet and left. Letting out a huge sigh, Noa pulled up a chair and sat at his desk, reminiscent of her first days in the Gotei 13. Pulling out her laptop, she booted it up and looked through the papers as it warmed up.

It wasn't long, but the information within was extremely detailed. As she read on, she was surprised he gave her this in the first place. She doubted this information was widely available outside of this office.

"He's putting a lot of faith in his new employee," she muttered to herself. "He probably knows I'm not stupid enough to let this information leave the office, accidental or not. Better men have been killed for less."

Noa got to work right away, summing up the articles and information into detailed statements short enough to be skimmed through. It wasn't easy, condensing so much information into a few paragraphs, but she accomplished it, although her eyes ached afterward.

Placing the new page on top of the others (the building's network gave her access to the printers in his office), she leaned back in her chair and sighed. It had been a little over two hours since Aizen had left, and even though she was bored she wasn't looking forward to his return. Being around him, especially when alone, was confusing. A mixture of fear, awe, respect and repulsion bubbled inside her when in his presence, along with a not-so-subtle hint of attraction.

_'I can't help it,'_ she moaned to herself. _'I'd have to be blind not to be attracted to him, and even then the raw ambition pouring out of him would be enough.'_Biting her lip, Noa placed her cheek on her hand and stared out the window. The view was lovely. The sky was a deep blue today, and the buildings in the distance sparkled in the sun. She wondered if Aizen picked this view on purpose.

Standing, she walked over to the huge floor length window that stretched across the back of the room. The city was laid out before her, layers of roads and buildings and parks. From this vantage point you could see straight across to the sea, and the hills bordering the bay. There was only one floor above her, the rooftop, and she doubted any other place in the building had such a view as this.

"Amazing, isn't it." That deep baritone shocked Noa out of her reverie, and she turned, some of her hair flying out into her face. _'I didn't even hear the door open!'_

Aizen laid his jacket on his chair, and picked up her summary. Noa stood in front of the window, hands behind her back, and watched him.

"Very impressive," he said finally, putting it back on the desk. "I honestly didn't expect such work. For someone so young, you are much more capable than others."

"T-thank you..." Noa said, taken aback. She didn't think it was _that_good, but he hadn't sounded like he was mocking her. Deciding to accept the compliment, she returned to the front of his desk, sitting as he did the same.

"I take it you like my view?" Aizen asked, large hands on the armrests of his chair. Noa nodded, back straight.

"Yes. I've never seen the city like that before. This vantage point is very unique."

"The only one like it in the city," Aizen agreed. There was brief moment of silence as both parties examined each other. A strand of hair fell across her shoulder, and Noa flinched, resisting the urge to fix it.

"Now, about the particulars," Aizen spoke, leaning back in his chair. "Officially, you're here as my personal assistant. You take orders from me, and only me, except when told to do otherwise. Don't worry," he added, seeing a grimace cross her face, "I won't be sending you to fetch my tea or call my driver. That's Loly's job. Your position is much more...involved."

Noa swallowed, and nodded again. That was already obvious by the work she had been given earlier, but it sounded somewhat ominous coming from him.

Aizen continued. "Your hours are only slightly different. You work five full days a week, from 8 to 6. Weekends you have off, unless I call for you to come in. You work in here, and-"

Noa tuned out slightly as he went on. The hours and days were only slightly different, but it was significant enough to make her nervous. She had the hours at the Ninth Division on purpose; she made just enough to live comfortably and pay her apartment rent, utilities and grocery bill. _'I might need to cut back on some frivolities...'_

"-And your pay is double what it was before, with included benefits." Aizen paused, waiting for her to react. "Does that sound fair to you?"

Her mouth dropped open. _'Double?'_ She could hardly believe it. It would have taken her almost ten years to double her salary at the Gotei division, and on her first day here she was already making more than most of her college friends. _Combined._

But, despite all this, there was a slight snag.

"What's the catch?" She asked, brow raised. Aizen smirked.

"Catch? There's no catch. Except..." Noa froze, afraid to hear what was next.

"Occasionally you will accompany me on various outings. Mostly business ventures taken outside of the Seireitei Inc. grounds. You'll perform the same duties there as in here, except for a few small additions."

Still suspicious, Noa frowned. "That's it?"

Aizen nodded. "That is all."

It really wasn't what she had expected, Noa realized. She was being granted much more freedom than she had anticipated, and despite being labeled as his personal assistant, she really couldn't see a loophole in what he was saying.

Except for the fact that there was a huge knot in her stomach, but that had been there ever since she had met him.

_'My main goal is still to get back to the Ninth Division,'_ she told herself. _'But while I'm here, I might as well make the most of it...'_

A small appeasing smile appeared on her lips. "Sounds fair to me."

* * *

><p>"Ukitake, sir? Can I speak with you for a moment?"<p>

The smartly dressed white-haired man looked up from the table where he was sitting. "Shūhei! Of course. Sit down."

Thanking him, Shūhei sat across from the smiling man. Jūshiro Ukitake, one of the highest ranking men in the Gotei 13, and in the entire corporation. Smart, trustworthy and loyal, he was the first person Shūhei had thought of as a way to get Noa back into his department.

"What can I help you with?" Ukitake asked. His hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, and his pale hands were open on the table in front of him, inviting and kind.

"I've recently run into a bit of trouble, sir," Shūhei began. "With Aizen, of all people."

A dark frown appeared on Ukitake's face, and Shūhei knew he made the right choice in coming here. Aizen had been one of Ukitake's prodigies, along with Shiba Kaien and Kuchiki Byakuya. His defection had hit him particularly hard.

"What's Sōsuke done now?" Ukitake asked sternly.

"Stolen one of my editors," Shūhei explained. "Took her right out from under me." He pushed a file across the table to Ukitake, who picked it up.

"He had her transferred completely in one night. I can't get her back on my own, seeing as he's ranked ten times as high as I am, and her trying to transfer herself would be disastrous at best." Ukitake nodded as he flipped through the file. "And I couldn't find any loopholes in the paperwork. Is there anything I can do?"

"Hmm..." Ukitake put down the file and rubbed his chin. "Not directly, no. Those forms are as official as it gets. What that man wants, he takes, by force if necessary."

"I know sir," Shūhei agreed, "But I just can't leave her there."

"No, that wouldn't be fair to Miss...Ueshima, was it?" When Shūhei nodded, Ukitake sighed.

"I'll see what I can do. It might take a while, but I'll let you know as soon as something comes up." Thankful, Shūhei shook the older mans hand.

"Do you know why Aizen transferred her over there?" Ukitake asked, pulling out a pen and notepad. "Might be useful." Shrugging, Shūhei stood.

"She mentioned something about him "grooming her into power", or something like that. I'm guessing the bastard just likes her potential, and exercising how much control he has in the corporation."

Nodding, Ukitake scribbled on the pad. "Most likely. Don't worry too much, Shūhei, I'm sure there's something we can do."

Smiling softly, Shūhei turned to leave. "I hope so, sir."

* * *

><p>The digital clock on his desk switched to a pixelated 6:00 p.m. Looking up from his desk, Aizen watched as Noa stood quietly and gathered her things.<p>

"Have a nice evening, Miss Ueshima," he murmured, amused. Noa merely nodded to him, and slipped out of his office without so much as a goodbye.

That didn't bother him, though. _'We'll get there eventually,'_he smirked inwardly.

The last hours of her workday were relatively quiet. She dutifully did what was asked of her, only speaking once or twice to ask for information on something regarding whatever she was working on at the moment. Aizen had done his own work, and after a few hours he found he enjoyed her silence. She gave off an air of discomfort at times, which was to be expected, but as she became more and more absorbed in her work there was a calming aura around her as well. It was actually quite relaxing, after the hustle and bustle of the meeting and other duties.

Pushing away his keyboard, Aizen relaxed into his chair. As the boss, he made his own hours and could leave whenever he wanted. He didn't even have to come into work everyday if he didn't feel like it the company was stable and he had capable people to run it for him. But he liked being involved, there was less of a mess to deal with if everything went through him and he had a hand in the proceedings.

At least, that's what everyone thought and what he put forth on the outside. Truthfully, he wasn't always eager to leave the office, especially if it meant returning to an empty flat. Popular culture idolized the idea of the wealthy bachelor, but in actuality it was extremely lonely. And loneliness only led to disappointment and weakness, and if there was one thing Sōsuke Aizen hated, it was weakness.

So he turned his loneliness into strength. He was a wall, a wall made of loneliness and power and fear, and that wall was impenetrable. He would not allow himself to fall, because a wall, once fallen, is useless rubble, easily opening the mind and heart beyond to an easy capture.

He could see a wall in Noa too. It wasn't quite as strong as his, lacking the lifetime of loneliness and power, but it was there. Hers was built upon ambition and love, caution and trust, a wall that kept her to her goals and away from outside interference, against any invaders. A wall Aizen could easily break, and one he planned on destroying. Because once that wall was down, he could easily invade and conquer her, and then his plan would be complete.

The sun was falling outside his window, as as the shadows grew the automatic lights inside his office blinked to life, dimming as if they matched the atmosphere. Swiveling in his chair, Aizen gazed at the dying sun as it sank behind the city and into the bay, knowing that as soon as night was over the sun would be reborn, and usher in a new day full of opportunities in which to break the walls surrounding Noa's heart.

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><p>After getting home, Noa drew a warm bath. She was utterly exhausted, especially since the trains had been over an hour late. There was only so much standing in heels she could handle, so she had taken her shoes off while waiting. The bath was so she could relax her tired muscles and scrub the grime off her feet.<p>

"I need to get a nice pair of flats, or even pumps. Something professional enough that I can wear them to work," she sighed as she sank into the water. "Aizen won't mind, since I'm stuck in his office all day anyways..."

That was probably the only thing she truly had a problem with in all these new arrangements. Being forcibly transferred and forced to work for a powerful and intimidating man was pretty bad, yeah, but had really loved her little office back in the Ninth. It was so cozy and peaceful and _hers_. Now she worked directly across from Aizen, who watched her with all the interest of a hawk staring at a mouse.

He had spent most of his time staring at a computer screen and writing on official looking papers, but every so often she could feel his eyes drift to her, bent over the desk and scribbling away. She rarely looked up, but the intensity of his gaze was strong enough for her to know he was looking. She was afraid to look up, afraid to stare into those deep, hypnotic brown mirrors.

Fortunately, his attention was soon drawn away, and she could return to her quiet work. It was quiet, but it was enough to keep her mind occupied.

"Double the pay is worth it, though," she murmured to herself, and instantly felt bad. Was money really enough to distract her from her goals, from the perfect little job at the Ninth? She had wanted to work in the Gotei 13 ever since her first year of high school, when her honors class had taken a field trip to the Seireitei Inc. grounds. It had been an impressive sight for a fifteen year old, and after taking a tour of the Gotei building her mind was set. She had worked the rest of her high school and college career to shape herself into the best person for the position she wanted. Was that really going to be wasted on the first person to throw money in her face?

_'That's not power,'_ she decided, blowing bubbles around her submerged face. _'That's coercion. He's trying to make me stay by feeding me the choicest bits on a gilded platter.'_ Raising her head, she squirted shampoo into her hand and scrubbed her hair furiously.

_'And you know what, Aizen? I'm not gonna fall for it! You won't trap me so easily!'_

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading! Reviews are loved, but you don't have to. ;)<br>**


	12. Master Plan

**Thank you so much to **

**VampireSiren**

**Yuzen**

**Myra Cifer**

**rabiosarabiosa**

**khAel**

**The Fox Knight **

**for your lovely reviews. And extra special thank you's to those who review every (or nearly every) chapter. You guys are amazing.**

**Sorry it took a while - Game of Thrones and The Avengers (plus a healthy dose of Tom Hiddleston) have been taking over my life. I'm going to go see it again tomorrow, I'm obsessed...**

**P.S. Do you like the cover I made for this story?**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC-ness**

**Please enjoy!**

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><p>"Good morning, sir."<p>

Aizen opened his eyes, closed from sipping steaming tea, and raised one elegant brow.

"Good morning, Miss Ueshima."

Smiling in what she hoped was a charming way, Noa approached his desk. "I apologize for being slightly late. Mr. Ichimaru was interrogating me in the elevator."

Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. I'll have to speak to him later." Setting down his teacup, a dainty cream colored piece, he pulled out a folder and slid it across the desk to her.

"Don't bother sitting down," he told her, opening it from where he was sitting and pointing to a piece of paper. "I need you to take this down to the fourth floor, to the head of the department. He'll know what to do with it when you get there. He'll also have something I need you to bring back up to me."

Noa nodded, and took the folder. "Yes, sir."

Looking pleased, Aizen leaned back in his chair, and brought his teacup back up. "I'll have something else for you to work on by the time you get back, so no loitering."

"I wasn't planning on it, sir."

A smirk. "Good." Inclining his head as she bowed, he watched her go over the rim of his cup, surprised and a little pleased. _'Good to know she's realized her purpose here.'_ He had liked the feeling of having power over her, knowing that he intimidated her, but perhaps her changing attitude was better. _'She is more use to me this way.' _

Her interaction with the other employees would have to be monitored, however. Ichimaru especially. Tapping a key on his keyboard, Aizen brought up a screen Tousen had prepared for him.

He already knew Noa had previous contact with three other Hueco Mundo employees, two of them brief; Tousen and Ulquiorra Cifer. The third, Tesla Lindocruz from the fifth department, was a special case. The information Tousen dug up said that they had been classmates in the University, and had contact outside of work as well, as recently as the night he first detailed his proposal to her. He was the most interesting case so far.

As for Ichimaru, Aizen wanted him to have as little contact with Noa as possible. The man had the potential to ruin everything he was trying to build with just a few carefully placed words and suggestions. Gin liked to play games like that. No doubt he found this whole thing a delightful mess.

"Loly," he said quietly, pressing a button on his phone. A red light appeared on the screen, and the young woman's voice answered.

"Yes, sir?"

"Please contact Gin and let him know I would like to speak to him."

"Right away. Any specific time, sir?"

Aizen glanced at the clock. Ten minutes had passed since Noa had left. He expected her to be back in at least the next fifteen minutes- unless, of course, she ran into more _distractions_.

"Immediately."

There was a click as Loly disconnected. Aizen tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, staring off into the space in front of his desk absentmindedly. 'Now that I think about it, her sudden change in attitude is a little strange. I expected her to warm up to me eventually, but this is far sooner than I anticipated.' He wondered what could have happened between the time she left the office yesterday evening and the moment she walked into the office fifteen minutes ago. _'I should make sure she isn't in contact with anyone from her previous department, especially Hisagi. He can't do anything, but it would be a hassle to deal with him at the moment...'_

"Ya wanted to see me, Cap'n?" Gin strode into the room, loosening the silver silk tie around his thin neck. "If this is about the mishap with the girl from seventh, I swear I had nothin' to do with tha'..."

Aizen shook his head. "No, Gin. I'm not interested in whatever _that_ was."

Looking slightly relieved, Gin dropped into one of the chairs facing Aizen's desk. "Oh, good."

"What I am interested in," Aizen continued, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his desk, "Is your interaction with Ueshima Noa."

Grinning, Gin threw one leg over the other and relaxed into his chair. "Fidgety one, ain't she? She bites her lip when she's nervous, poor thing. It's actually a little endearing..."

Aizen stared at the man until he got the hint. "No mischief, Gin. The last thing I need is her running off."

"But Cap'n, mischief is my _thing_."

"Along with general creepiness and questionable intentions, Ichimaru." Tousen's voice interrupted as he entered the room, a stack of papers under his arm. "Mustn't forget those, now."

Not wanting an argument to start, Aizen captured Gin's intentions once more. "If I'm going to gain control of the Ueshima family's shares and subsidiaries, I don't need her to become suspicious or nervous. It's a delicate game we're playing, gentlemen. I need your support."

"You have _mine_, sir," Tousen said stiffly, and Gin scoffed.

"Ya know, Cap'n, I'm not even sure why you want those measly shares anyways. I mean, sure, there's money in it, but compared to some of the bigger ones we could go after, the Ueshima are tadpoles in a pond of whales." Gin waved one wrist lazily. "You're wastin' your time, to be perfectly blunt."

There was a moment of silence before a smirk began to grow across Aizen's lips. He leaned back into his chair, and studied Gin.

"Tousen," he said, looking at the blind man, "Could you kindly explain to Gin why the Ueshima shares are so important?"

"Gladly." Setting down the papers on the desk, Tousen took the other chair and sat on the edge, back perfectly straight.

"It's true that, compared to many others, the Ueshima family is not as influential in the business world. They hold old shares of Seireitei Inc., and rather small ones at that. When put into perspective, they really aren't as important as, say, Kuchiki or Shihoin."

"However, we're not interested in just holding their shares of the company. You see, the Ueshima share is just the first of what will be many stepping stones, each bigger than the one before, until we reach the big prize."

Gin's brow furrowed as he contemplated what Tousen was saying. "Wait. So what you're saying is that-" He looked at Aizen as realization hit him.

"You're tryin' to own Seireitei Inc,? _The entire corporation_?"

Aizen nodded. "Yes, that is the big picture. I plan to start..._acquiring_ all shares connected to Seireitei Inc., starting with the small ones like the Ueshima, and build upwards until I am effectively in control of every aspect of the corporation."

"You won't be in control of just the _corporation,_" Gin sputtered, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward. "Everything in this country is connected to Seireitei Inc., in one way or the other. You're gonna run the _entire country_."

"That is what we're aiming for," Tousen cut in. "We'll have a hand, whether it be large or small, in everything. From health to government to education, we'll be in control."

There was silence as Gin looked from Tousen to Aizen. "_Damn_."

A smile, and Aizen picked up his teacup. "So, Gin, do you understand why I need Ueshima to be completely oblivious?"

Gin nodded. "Yessir, Cap'n, sir."

* * *

><p>The elevator ride to the fourth floor was a quiet respite for Noa to gather herself. She was relieved she had managed to keep it cool in front of Aizen. <em>'Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought. At least I know I <em>can_ do it now.'_

The elevator slowed to a stop, but when Noa looked up she saw it was at the fifth floor. _'Someone must be getting on.' _Stepping back out of the way, she waited for the doors to open.

_'Ding.' _They slid apart, and Noa nearly dropped the folder she was carrying.

"T-Tesla?"

The blond man gaped at her. "_Noa?_ What are you_ doing _here?"

Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, Noa pulled him inside and slammed the close door button.

"What is going on?" Tesla said, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I thought I told you to stay away from here!"

"I know," Noa pleaded, stepping back, "But, uh, well..." She dropped her head.

"I work here now. For Aizen. I'm kind of his...personal assistant..."

Tesla froze, mouth open, brows furrowed. "_What_?"

Noa put her hands up in defense. "It wasn't my idea! He made me do it!"

"Who made you do it? Aizen?" When Noa nodded, Tesla groaned, hand on his face. "I can't believe this..." He looked at her wearily. "How long have you been here?"

"This is my second day. Look, I'm sorry, Tesla. I was going tell you eventually. I was just...in shock, I guess." Noa looked at her feet. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm trying to get out of here."

With a shaky laugh, Tesla ran his fingers through his hair. "Good luck with that." Noa smiled softly, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tesla looked at her softly, and opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could the elevator stopped and the doors opened with another soft _'ding'_.

Looking out on the fourth floor, Noa shrugged. "My stop, I guess. I'll call you after work, okay? We can talk then."

Tesla nodded, and watched her leave. Noa waved to him as the doors shut and he was whisked away. Sighing, she turned and walked down the strangely quiet hall.

_'This entire building is quiet, but this is taking it to a whole new level.'_ She knew the fourth floor was where the courier and managing department was, and even knew who the office head was, having met him briefly. She had sort of expected it to be more lively than it was, but everything seemed to be streamlined and efficient, office doors closed with diligent workers hidden behind them. It was a little unnerving.

It was easy to find the head's office, seeing as it was at the end of this hallway, where it then branched off into two different hallways heading who knew where. Noa knocked politely on the door, entering when a muffled voice bid her do so. She stepped inside, folder clutched to her chest.

"Ah, Miss Ueshima. This is a change of role, now isn't it?" Ulquiorra Cifer commented dryly from his desk. "Last time it was I delivering something to your department. Now it is the other way around."

Clearing her throat, Noa decided to ignore his dry attempt at sarcasm and stepped forward. "Yes, sir. I have the papers from Aizen."

"Mmm." Taking them from her, Ulquiorra pointed to a similar folder laying on his desk. "Here is what I need taken back to him. If you would be so kind..."

Nodding, Noa picked them up. "Is there anything else, sir?" She was a little eager to get out of there. She had only met him briefly before, but he had seemed pleasant enough. However, in amongst his own element he seemed a bit more threatening.

Looking up at her with apathetic eyes, Ulquiorra studied her. "Be careful, Miss Ueshima."

Noa flinched. "Sir?"

Ulquiorra didn't break his gaze. "You never know who is listening. Chose your words and your actions carefully, and watch every step you take, especially around those you know you cannot trust. _Be careful_."

Confused, Noa nodded. _'What is he trying to tell me? Did he hear my conversation with Tesla...? No, he couldn't have...'_

Deciding now would be a good time to leave, Noa bowed and left. She hurried to the elevator, tapping her foot as it took a while to reappear.

_'What was that all about? There's no way he could have heard my conversation with Tesla...could he?' _Although she doubted it, there was a sensation in the back of her mind that Ulquiorra had an inkling of her situation and what she was trying to do. When the elevator arrived, she peered at the ceiling, searching for a camera or microphone. She didn't find one, but the feeling didn't go away.

When she finally made it back to Aizen's office, she discovered he wasn't alone. Gin and Tousen both turned their heads when she entered. She paused, lingering by the door. "Should I...?"

"No," Aizen said. "Gin and Tousen were just leaving. Another time, gentlemen."

Both men stood and made their way to the door. Gin looked at her strangely and shook his head as if in confusion before leaving, while Tousen merely mumbled a good morning and followed him out.

Going to his desk, Noa laid the folder Ulquiorra had given her in front of her boss. "Here, sir."

Nodding appreciatively, Aizen swept it to the side and motioned for her to sit down. "Do you remember what I said about you having special duties as my personal assistant, Miss Ueshima?"

Sitting, Noa nodded. "Yes, sir."

Aizen continued, hands clasped in front of him. "This upcoming Friday there is a charity dinner I must attend. In accordance with your employment here, you will be accompanying me to this function. I trust you own an evening dress?"

Noa froze. When she had pictured special duties, she figured she'd be attending meetings and such. Going on a _date_ with him was the last thing on her mind.

"Uh, yes..." She ventured slowly. "Will I be doing anything other than, uh, accompanying you, sir?"

Aizen smirked. "Oh, you'll be taking notes, keeping track of business partners, and generally doing all the important things while I socialize with the people giving us money for charities they think are actually _helping_ something."

Inside, Noa felt slightly sick. _'Is this what being at the top means? Tricking people into giving you things you could probably get on your own with a little hard work?' _She didn't want to, but she couldn't see any other choice.

"Yes, sir."

"Good," Aizen said. "Bring everything you need to work with you on Friday. I will give you time to change out of your work attire and then we will leave together." He pulled the previously discarded folder to him and opened it. "Oh, and Ueshima?"

"Sir?"

Aizen looked at her, his eyes gazing at her in a way that made her self-conscious. "Wear your hair like you did at the gala. It looks...nice that way."

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><p><strong>Ohoho. XD Thanks for reading!<strong>


	13. Off To The Races

**Thank you to**

**Myra Cifer**

**KhAeL**

**VampireSiren**

**for reviewing the previous chapter. It's much appreciated. And thank you to everyone who alerts and favs too.**

**Here's a new chapter for you lovely people. Enjoy!**

**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness, drinking, mentions of mature situations**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, nor do I claim to. This is fanfiction.  
><strong>

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><p>Monday arrived faster than usual, and the rest of the week along with it. Work was neither boring nor challenging- Noa did what she was asked without hesitation, and there was never a lack of things for her to do. As soon as she finished one task, Aizen had another ready for her. She ventured all over the building, meeting people in each department, but never stayed long in any of them. Whatever task she was on took the forefront of her attention. Back in the Gotei division, it was normal to see people from all divisions roaming in different places, catching up with friends. Not here, though.<p>

_'Everything is so quiet here,' _Noa thought one day for the millionth time as she strolled down a deserted hallway. It wasn't like she disliked the quiet; it actually helped her concentrate. But here, in such a sterile and hostile environment, the silence made everything seem that much more eerie.

The silence in Aizen's office was the worst. She had been moved from his desk to her own, near the northern wall, but she could still feel his gaze on her every so often. People rarely came into the office, preferring to contact Aizen through his secretaries or by electronic means. Noa often wished that it was different, that someone would pop in and distract him long enough for her to feel comfortable in everything she did.

Aizen rarely left the office, another thing Noa found odd. Being the boss, she'd figured he'd be in and out all day, like Shūhei had been. However, except for important meetings or other similar business, Aizen stayed in the large office, watching and observing her.

They rarely spoke, and when they did, it was always he who started the conversations. He asked her about her progress at first, how she was doing on a certain project or how she was fitting in. Sometimes, though, the conversations got a bit more personal. He got to asking her about her education, her time at the university and what she studied. He inquired on her family, commenting that he remembered her mother briefly, and that he had met her father on a few occasions.

"He was the head of your family, correct?" Aizen asked from across the room, where he was looking out the window. It was late Thursday afternoon. Noa sat at her desk, staring at the same line of text on her computer over and over as she answered his questions, while also thinking about the dinner/date/reconnaissance opportunity the following evening.

"Yes," she replied. "Technically my uncle should be head now, but my father had his lawyers sign everything over to my mother before he passed away. She's not one for technicalities, though, so my uncle handles that aspect."

"Hmm. And who will it go to once it leaves your mother's hands?"

Noa paused. "Me. My uncle never had children, but that doesn't matter because the documents say that once my mother is gone all the Ueshima shares and such are mine. The Ueshima line ends with me, however. I'm the last in the direct line."

There was silence as those last words settled across the room, and Noa felt sad. Her uncle had never married; he was a strange man, obsessed with business in such a way that he never bothered to look for a partner, so the line ended with him on that end. If Noa married, the Ueshima name would no longer be the one on the papers. And if she never married or had children, the line would also end that way as well. _'It's depressing, to know that you're the last...'_

She turned her head slightly to gaze at Aizen. _'What about you?'_ she wanted to ask. _'Where does your line end and begin? When you are gone, where is your wealth, your titles, your name going?_' As far as she knew, Aizen had no relatives. His past was shrouded in mystery.

"Pardon me if this comes off as intrusive, sir," Noa began slowly, choosing her words carefully. "But you aren't married, are you?"

Noa could see the small grin on his face from all the way across the room. "No," he said, hands clasped behind his back. "Marriage has never been particularly appealing to me."

"Then...your line ends with you too, doesn't it?" Noa turned completely in her chair, brow furrowed.

Another pause as Aizen rotated to face her. His eyes were as deep as usual, except Noa thought she saw something else there. _'Loneliness,'_she realized, and for a moment Sōsuke Aizen seemed almost human.

"Yes," he mused, striding to his own seat and settling into it quietly. "I suppose it does."

_'Something we have in common, then.'_Suddenly self-conscious, Noa returned to her work.

"I trust you are prepared for tomorrow?" Aizen asked, breaking the temporary silence. Noa sighed softly, and rubbed the bridge of her nose in semi-exhaustion.

"Yes, sir. Will anything be expected of me, other than the things you've already specified? I'm afraid I've never been to something like this where I'm expected to do more than stand around and look interesting."

Aizen chuckled, scribbling something out on a notepad. "Are functions like these a regular occurrence for you?"

Noa shrugged. "They used to be. When I was younger my mother dragged me to all that she could. She stepped in to represent my father when he was out on business, and brought me along to nearly every one. I finally put my foot down in the last couple of years of high school. The gala last week was the first one I've been to in over six years."

"Such a long time. You seemed a little out of sorts, I remember." Aizen put down the notepad and swiveled in his chair to face her. "I only recommend that you stay close to me throughout the entire thing. It will make things easier for the both of us."

"Sir?"

Another small laugh. "It will give me a chance to train you for future excursions, while preventing you from being sucked into the masses. There are sure to be people there who would snap a young thing like you up with no more than a polite hello."

Grimacing, Noa nodded. "I, uh, appreciate the advice, sir."

Aizen nodded. "Good." Glancing at the clock, he looked at her again. "It's nearly time for you to go. Why don't you leave a little earlier today? You'll be up for quite a while tomorrow."

_'How unexpected.'_"Oh, no, sir, I haven't even finished this yet..." Noa gestured to her screen.

Waving a hand dismissively, Aizen brushed it off. "Don't worry about that. Go home, and get a good nights rest."

Noa gazed at him. He was acting rather odd today, she realized. _'Maybe something came up...'_

"Alright." She stood silently, and packed away her things. Murmuring a soft farewell, she slipped out the door and into the hallway.

"Ahem," a nasally voice sounded from across the hall. Noa looked up to see Loly gazing at her intensely.

"Yes?" Noa inquired, puzzled. _'I get the feeling that she doesn't like me very much...'_

"Where do you think you're going?" Loly hissed. "It's barely after five, you're not supposed to leave until six!"

"Oh," Noa replied. "He dismissed me early. I'm to go with him tomorrow, so he figured-"

Loly's perfectly matched brows shot up into her bangs. "_Go_with him? Where?"

"To an, uh, charity dinner..."

"Hah!" Loly clasped a hand across her mouth as if she found Noa's answer to be hilarious. "And I bet you think that's just the greatest thing ever, isn't it?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," Loly interrupted, "Don't get any ideas, Ueshima, because you're nothing more than a glorified secretary! I've been working here for years, and I've seen _girls_like you tossed out on the street before."

Frowning, Noa hoisted her briefcase and walked briskly to the elevator. _'What's her problem?'_

"Oh, shut it, Loly," Noa heard another voice from down the hall. "You're just jealous because that's all you've ever been is Aizen's secretary. You don't mean anythin-"

"_Shut up, Menoly_!"

Shaking her head, Noa entered the elevator and slammed on the close door button. _'I wonder what would happen if I just didn't come in tomorrow...'_

_-0-  
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Once she returned home and took a long relaxing shower, Noa sat on her bed with a bowl of mashed potatoes and tried choosing something to wear.

_'It's probably not going to be too formal,'_ she decided._ 'A simple black dress should do, I hope.'_ Leaning to the side, she grabbed an ornate jewelry box from her nightstand, an heirloom from her great-grandmother. Opening it, she looked through the assorted earrings, necklaces and bracelets, and for once wished her mother was around. '_She's so much better at this than I am...'_

However, Ueshima Etsuko was one of the last people Noa would tell about the upcoming evening. No matter how hard she could stress that she was only going as an assistant, and accompanying Aizen was her job, her mother would find something juicy about it to gossip to her friends. And once that happened, the whole _world_would know.

With a tired sigh, Noa fell back onto her pillows and rubbed her eyes. "This is so stressful," she complained. "Stupid Aizen..." She wondered how Shūhei was doing, and if he was trying to get her re-transferred like he had promised._ 'He's the department head, he probably has other things to worry about.'_She thought about Nami in printing, and Ikeda in networking. Her mind wandered to Izuru and Iba and Matsumoto, even though she'd only met them briefly. And then their faces turned into Loly's and Ichimaru's and Aizen's, and she frowned.

_'I felt so much more accepted there...'_She thought about Loly's words. She'd never interacted with the woman before, but it was painfully obvious she was jealous of Noa's position, and infatuated with Aizen. Menoly was a little better, but Noa still got the feeling that the pixie-haired secretary wasn't fond of her.

_'Hopefully I won't be there much longer, and I'll never have to see them again.' _Leaning over, she pulled the string on the lamp and thrust the room into darkness. Sleep, she hoped, would come easy. _'I'm gonna need it.'_

_-0-  
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_'Shhhhh' _

Turning off the water in the rather luxurious bathroom to the side of Aizen's office, Noa checked herself in the mirror for the hundredth time. She had decided, last minute, on the only black dress she owned, complimented by a simple chain and charm around her thin neck. Her hair was up, but as she stared at her pale complexion she remember what Aizen had said and tugged on the pins holding her hair up. It fell across her shoulders gracefully, with a portion twisted elegantly on top. It wasn't exactly like she had worn it at the gala, but close enough.

Composing herself, Noa packed her few items of makeup and other necessities in a small clutch and packed away her work clothes in a duffel bag she had brought. Tugging on the sheer black stockings she wore with her simple black heels, she exited the bathroom and stood hesitantly in the office.

Aizen, standing near his desk, turned when he heard her come in. He wore a black suit with a blood-red tie. The suit jacket was cut in a way that showed off his broad shoulders, and for the millionth time Noa felt intimidated in his presence.

He eyed her outfit, and gave a small nod of approval. "That'll do. A little somber, but then again these things tend to run somber. You'll fit in fine."

Nodding shakily, Noa scrunched her toes in her uncomfortable heels as Aizen phoned his driver. "He's waiting for us in the garage. Best not to keep him waiting." Motioning for her to follow him, they left the office and made their way to the elevator.

Loly glared at Noa over the top of her desk, sinking out of sight as Aizen passed. Rolling her eyes, Noa hurried to catch up to her boss as the elevator doors opened.

"Remember," Aizen said as they descended, tugging on his tie, "Stay close to me and everything will be fine."

"Yes sir," Noa replied, wondering if he sensed the apprehension rolling off her. _'Probably.'_

The car was waiting for them just outside the elevator in the garage. Holding the door for her, Aizen gestured for her to slide in. Noa slid to the opposite side of the car, snug against the door. Once Aizen was situated next to her, the driver set off. Noa couldn't see him through the tinted glass separating the passengers from the front, but he seemed to be a tall thin fellow.

Soon they were navigating through the evening downtown traffic. Cars, taxis and pedestrians mingled on the wide roads, gleaming stores, clubs and hotels lining the busy streets. Noa saw people staring at their car and several other like it on the street- it was obvious whoever was inside was important in some way.

"Where is the charity dinner being held?" Noa asked as they turned from a red light.

"In the Third Ring, at the Hokutan Hotel. Not too far from the center of the city, yet it is pleasantly secluded considering it's proximity. I actually have an apartment not far from the location."

_'Third Ring...'_ Noa thought gloomily. _'I'll have to take a taxi to get home, then...' _

They soon were driving down a less crowded street, and up ahead Noa could see their destination. The Hokutan Hotel was magnificently huge, with a massive lit fountain out front where guests were being dropped off. And there were _a lot_ of guests, at least three times as many as the relatively small benefactor's gala._ 'I don't think I've ever been to something this big before...'_

"Here we are," Aizen announced as his driver pulled up to the curb. Two attendants moved to either side of the car and opened the door for them, the one on Noa's side offering his gloved hand to her. Taking it, Noa let herself be helped from the car, and got a better look around as Aizen gave quick directions to his driver.

The hotel was lit up to the roof, and banners announcing the charity decorated the pillars and windows. Many people stood chatting out there in the front as their friends or families arrived, while others began up the steps to the wide doors letting people inside. As she looked around, she recognized several people she knew to have connections with her own family; however, she was confidant that unless she spoke her last name none of them would know who she was.

"Ready?" A smokey voice echoed in her ear as Aizen drew up next to her and offering his arm. Nodding, and putting up a brave demeanor, Noa let him lead her up the stairs.

As they ascended, many people began to look in their direction, and Noa felt self-conscious to be seen with such a widely known and powerful man. No doubt she was the subject of many conversations being had and many to come. _'I'm just his assistant, I swear!'_

They were at the top of the marble steps now, and two workers swept them inside with wide bows. Noa bit back a gasp- if she thought the outside of the hotel was magnificent, it was nothing like the inside. Huge chandeliers lit the large room filled with tables and tables of guests, dressed to the hilt. At the back of the room there was a massive stage set with more tables. That was where the most charitable would sit, Noa guessed.

Smiling charmingly, Aizen bent towards his awed assistant. "Remember to keep your eyes open." He swept her to the side as a group of people veered towards them. "And keep your mouth closed, unless they speak to you directly. I'll do most of the talking."

Thankful for that, Noa nodded and looked around at the people coming towards them. It was an older gentleman with what was undoubtedly his wife on his arm, followed by what could only be a son or grandson accompanied by their own wife or girlfriend.

"Aizen!" the man said loudly, and Noa suspected he wanted everyone in the vicinity to know he was on speaking terms with the head of the Las Noches division. "Glad to see you, m'boy."

"And you as well, Mr. Voralbena," Aizen replied graciously. "And you, Madame," he continued, kissing the hand of Voralbena's wife. The woman smiled, and turned slightly, bringing the two behind her into view.

"You know my son, Yuusuke? And his fiance, Miss Erilia Araújo?" Aizen bowed and kissed hands in turn, causing the girl to giggle madly and blush. Noa fought the urge to roll her eyes, and instead sidled so that she was half-hidden by Aizen's towering frame. In the distance, a small string quartet accompanied by a piano began to play, adding to the roar of the crowd.

Remembering her job, Noa began to survey her surroundings. It was immediately obvious she was under dressed compared to the majority of women, but she was glad. Perhaps it made it more obvious she was merely accompanying Aizen as an assistant, and nothing...serious. Many people were staring at him, she also realized. _'I wonder if the other heads of departments get this kind of attention, or if it's just him?'_

"And who is your acquaintance, may I ask?" Voralbena's voice cut through her studies and Noa turned to face him, a soft, emotionless smile on her face. She was practiced at that, at least.

"My assistant, Ueshima Noa," Aizen introduced her. Noa bowed shortly, still not speaking.

"Ueshima?" Voralbena frowned. "Don't we know the Ueshima, Ayako?"

"Yes, Mathias," Ayako Voralbena replied, interested eyes on Noa. "Am I correct in assuming you are the daughter of Etsuko and Hachiro Ueshima?"

"Yes, ma'am," Noa replied politely.

The woman smiled. "I know your mother through various social circles, and your father was a business partner of my own father. It's lovely to see you."

"A pleasure," Noa said smoothly. Ayako Voralbena seemed kind enough, but her husband looked at her with an air of contempt. Noa had heard about him; from what she knew, he was from a very wealthy and prominent old family, one that looked down upon those below them. The Ueshima were one such family, and no doubt he thought very little of her already.

He once again struck up a conversation with Aizen, and the party began to head towards the tables, Aizen and Mathias in front, Noa and Ayako in the middle, with Yuusuke and his giggly fiance behind them.

"Do you enjoy working for Sōsuke?" Ayako asked pleasantly. Noa hesitated. _'Not really,'_ she wanted to answer, but she knew that Aizen was listening, however distracted he may seem at the moment.

"It's been a challenge," she decided to say, "But a rewarding challenge."

Smiling, Ayako gazed at the men in front of them, and they strode on in silence. Several other people approached Aizen and his companions, and for a while Noa was caught up in the shaking of hands and the bowing of heads, the kissing of hands and the polite '_good evenings_'. When a waiter passed with a tray of wine glasses, Noa took one, albeit hesitantly. She wasn't much of a drinker, but she had the feeling that she was going to need it.

The night wore on as Aizen greeted co-workers and well-wishers, people who either knew him or were trying to. Every so often Noa would be introduced and subsequently tossed to the side- apparently if you weren't involved with Aizen enough you weren't important to the conversation beyond a hello.

When Noa was nursing her second glass of Pinot, Aizen dismissed the last wave of admirers and grasped her by the arm once more. They walked, not to the front tables like she was expecting, but onto the stage where the big-wigs sat. Settling in the chair Aizen offered to her, Noa set her glass on the table and looked around her.

They were seated on the long table near the end, with one couple separating them from the edge. She sat next to an extremely small mousy man buried in a glorious mustache, his even smaller wife at the end. Aizen was on her left, and two spaces down from him was the center of the table. Sitting there was a couple who had to be the heads of whatever charity they were at.

People had began to head to their tables, and once the last person was seated, waiters who had been in the wings of the room began to file out, platters on their hands and being pushed on carts. A cold soup was placed in front of Noa, who eyed it hesitantly. 'I've only been drinking so far, so I'd better eat it,' she reasoned, and picked up her spoon as soon as their host had been served. It was a good soup, she mused, _'But Dordoni would be better...'_

After the entree was served, a filet mignon that made Noa's stomach hurt just to look at it, Aizen looked at her. "Well, Noa," he said, using her first name in a familiar way, "How is your evening going?"

Pushing away her plate and grabbing her third glass of wine (she was getting more and more tipsy as the night went on), she shrugged. Aizen watched her sip the red liquid, his own glass sitting in his long fingers elegantly.

"Not much longer now," he said, and through the incoming haze, Noa could tell he seemed to be talking to himself more than anything.

Desert passed in a blur as she finished off her third glass. Her mind was pleasantly buzzing as the night wound into and end and she was ushered out of her seat by her boss. Through the wine she noticed faintly that he had been touching her more and more as the night went on, and that the arm she was once holding was wrapped around her waist now. Something in the back of her head wanted her to push it away, but that something was being drowned by the three glasses of wine she had drunk, and instead she submitted to being led across the room with Aizen's arm wrapped around her waist. It felt kind of nice.

"Oof!" She stumbled, despite the strong appendage around her body, and a half-empty glass of champagne sitting on the edge of a table tipped down the skirt of her dress. Frowning, she brushed at it lazily, too buzzed to be really upset about it.

"Oh, dear," a voice chuckled in her ear, and Aizen led her away from the table and towards the door. "I think you've had a little too much wine, Noa."

Shrugging, she let him wrap her arm tighter around her as they descended the stairs. The car was waiting for them, and Aizen directed Noa inside carefully, with the help of the same suited attendant from before. After tipping the man generously, he slipped in beside the tipsy young woman.

She sat in the middle, head against the rest of the seat. Aizen sat close to her, and the driver slid off into the night.

"We'll go to my apartment," she heard Aizen say into her ear, and she nodded without really registering the implications of his words. "You can change there."

Nodding again, she turned to ask him how she would get home from there when his large hand moved to her stockinged thigh. Gasping slightly, Noa flinched as it moved up and across her leg.

Taking advantage of her open mouth, Aizen brought his other hand up to pull her chin upwards and placed his lips against her own.

_-0-_

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Sunlight streamed in from the open curtains, and Noa groaned. Her head _hurt_.

She twisted her body, trying to find a place where the sun didn't hit her face, and immediately noticed that the sheets she was tangled in felt very different from the ones on her own bed. Opening her eyes, she shot up suddenly, yelping when the sheets fell away to reveal her nearly nude form. _'Where am I? And why am I naked?'_

"Good morning. Sleep well?"

Her blood turned to ice as the smokey baritone permeated the still silence of the room. Turning to the source of the dreaded sound, Noa's mouth feel open as she saw Aizen leaning against the door frame, a steaming cup of tea in his hand. He smirked at her shocked expression, and took a sip.

_'Oh...my...god...'_

_-0-  
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><p><em><em>**Things are really moving forward now. Thank you for reading and reviewing and all that other stuff.  
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**Ciao!  
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	14. Butterflies

**Thank you so much to**

**VampireSiren (_oh, yes he did!_)**

**XxAlexMarihaReyesxX (_thank you very much!_)**

**Myra Cifer (_aww, thank you!_)**

**KhAeL (_I'm glad you liked it!_)**

**safa56bmc (_tee hee, you are very in tune with Aizen's personality..._)**

**HauntedMonster (_XD_)**

**and to the Guest (_thank you so much if you read this, that means a lot_)**

**I'm glad you are all enjoying it so far.  
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**Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness, mentions of mature situations  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, nor do I claim to.  
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><p>Noa blinked several times, as if to clear her eyes and make the scene in front of her disappear. It wasn't working.<p>

"Are you alright?" Aizen asked slowly as the bewildered woman gaped at him. "You look a little...shocked."

Noa shook her head wearily. "Wha-what happened?" She rasped, throat sore from sleeping off a hangover. "Why am I in your bed-" She pulled the blanket away and peered at her body. "-wearing only underwear?"

Aizen's brow raised in amusement. "What do you think happened? You're a smart girl- use your head."

Moaning, Noa covered her face with her hands._ 'Oh my god. I can't believe I'm hearing this.'_

With a smirk, Aizen walked from the doorway and went to the window across from the bed, sitting against the sill and looking at Noa curiously. "You don't remember anything?"

Shrugging, Noa sighed. "Bits and pieces. My head is still a little foggy..."

**…**

..

.

_Stumbling from the car, Noa looked up at the huge apartment building in front of her. Her lips, swollen from Aizen's delicate ministrations, parted into an 'O' shape as she leaned back as far as she could with falling over. "You live here? It's huge!"_

_"Yes," Aizen answered, coming up behind her and grasping her around the waist. "One of several places I live. The most convenient out of them, by far." Pulling her along, he led her through the wide doors and into the lobby of the building, nodding to the doorman as they passed._

_"Whi-which floor do you live on?" Noa asked as they got into the elevator. Aizen smirked and pressed the button for the 53rd, floor, two down from the top._

_"You seem to be handling your liquor strangely," he observed as his hands stroked up and down her torso. Noa was surprised, and aroused. The sensible careful Noa had been replaced by the buried go with the flow Noa, and that Noa liked Aizen very much right now. Her sense were dulled slightly from the alcohol, but she could still feel the raw power rolling off him, and it was tempting and delicious._

_By the time the elevator slowed to a stop, Noa's lips were swollen and raw. She followed Aizen out and onto the empty floor, where he pulled out a thin card from his pocket and slid it in the slot on the door. Noa let him lead her inside._

_The apartment was dark, but she could tell it was easily ten times and big as her apartment. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the view outside the window directly in front of her, but before she could investigate Aizen had pushed her against the couch and begun to peel off her clothes._

**…**

..

.

Aizen's smirk only grew. "Well, why don't you stay here until your head clears. Can't have you stumbling down the street like this." Rising from his spot, he grabbed his jacket from where it was slung over a chair and threw it over his shoulders. "I have to head into the office right now, but I'll be back before long and I'll take you home then. Feel free to use the bathroom and kitchen to their fullest."

Noa merely nodded, not looking at him. She waited until his footsteps faded and she heard the door click shut to untangle herself from the sheets and stumble out of bed. Going over to the window, she pulled the curtains shut, trying to alleviate the headache she felt coming on.

_'I can't believe this happened,'_ she scolded herself as she picked up what articles of clothing she found on the floor. _'This is the last place I ever wanted to be...'_

_'Or is it?'_ A nasty voice whispered in the back of her head. _'Face it, you wanted him. If you really didn't, you would have put a stop to it before it even happened last night. You weren't _that_ out of it.'_

Frowning, Noa pushed away those thoughts and sat on the bed, wondering what to do. Her head hurt, her body hurt, and her pride hurt._ 'Am I really the kind of person who does this kind of thing?'_ She had never imagined herself as such._ 'I hope he doesn't think I slept with him because I want a better position or anything!'_ She had heard stories of people who had sex or done other favors for their superiors in order to rise in business or get payed more. _'I'm not-I would _never_ do that...'_

Sighing, she rose once more and headed to where the master bathroom was, figuring a hot shower might clear her head. She opened the door, eyes widening as she took in the sight. _'His bathroom is bigger than half my apartment!'_

A large shower, big enough to fit at least three people of Aizen's size, was at the back of the large tiled room, along with a massive jacuzzi tub. White and gray tile decorated the floor and walls, with modern fixtures and counters lining the wall closest to her. _'How can one person need this much space?'_

Going over to the counter, she turned on the cold water at the sink and splashed her face. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she looked up in the mirror and gasped.

She had bite marks everywhere, dotting her body from neck to thighs. They were across her shoulders and collarbone, above and below her breasts, down her stomach and along her pelvic bone. In-between her thighs and down the back of her knee, tiny red marks and bruises were evidence of the night she had spent with Aizen- who was apparently _very_dominant. She didn't remember the more intricate details from last night, but her body ached in suggestive ways.

Muttering curses and swears, Noa went to the shower and turned on the faucets. Steam and water began to pour from holes dotting the shower, and after a few minutes of standing in the warmth Noa could feel her head clearing. She scrubbed herself from head to toe, wincing whenever she touched one of the bruises. Once she finished, she wrapped a fluffy red towel around her body and hair and went back into the bedroom.

Spotting an open door that led to a large closet, Noa wondered if Aizen would care if she wore something of his. Her clothes seemed to be scattered across the apartment, some of them in pieces.

_'He won't care,'_ she decided after peeking inside the luxurious closet and seeing the rows and shelves of clothes hidden within. Most of his shirts were shades of white, gray and black, but a powder blue button-up caught her eye, standing out amongst the drabber colors. It reached to mid thigh when she put it on._ 'Good enough for now.'_

Feeling braver, she decided to check out the rest of his apartment while she had the chance. _'Who knows if I'll ever be in a place this nice again?' _His bedroom was at the end of a hall dotted with three other doors, all more bedrooms, albeit all smaller than the one she was just in. Around the corner was the sitting room where the large window was- connected to it was a kitchen filled with state-of-the-art appliances and across from that was a large dining room. In the light, the whole thing looked much more spacious and grand. The walls were bare save for the occasional piece of fine art or pottery. Several bookcases lined the sitting room walls, filled with books. A door to her right revealed an office, which she left alone.

Remembering what Aizen had said, Noa went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of strong coffee. Sipping the potent mixture, she sat on the couch facing the window, legs curled up next to her. _'He has a nice view here as well,'_she thought, looking out the crystal clear window to the city below. She was too high up to make out the fine details below her, but the view to the horizon was magnificent.

The apartment was quiet, she realized after a few moments. Not the kind of quiet she associated with work, though. This was a different kind of quiet, a lonely kind of quiet. Everything here was modern and state of the art, the best money could buy, but it was so _empty_. Growing up, her family always had nice things, but they were used regularly, touched by bodies and hands filled with love and care. Here everything was made of ice, cold to the touch. She wondered how many girls Aizen had brought here like she had been, how many had awoken in his bed and sat on this couch. _'This place is so sad.'_

She sat her mug on the low glass table in front of her and laid her head on the arm of the couch. The sun pouring in from the window warmed her bare legs, and she was becoming comfortably drowsy despite the copious amount of coffee she had. Yawning, she wrapped her arms around herself, both awaiting and dreading Aizen's return. She rubbed her collarbone, the sore spots still red and visible._ 'I kind of wish I could remember a little more,'_ she realized, blushing. Fragments played in her head, like pieces out of a movie. Her body remembered more than her mind did. She winced as her fingers passed over one particularly sore bruise. _'But then again, maybe not...'_

_-0-_

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The building was always quiet, but the weekends were quieter than usual. Aizen didn't mind; in fact, he was enjoying the calm silence.

Smirking, he pulled another folder across the desk and opened it. He had been enjoying _quite a bit_ over the last twelve or so hours. He honestly hadn't expected things to go so smoothly._ 'I was __prepared for much more resistance on her end. Funny how things end up sometimes...'_

He had awoken much earlier than Noa had. Her stamina was admirable, but it was no where up to his own endurance. She had succumbed to exhaustion in the wee hours of the morning, wrapping her damp body in his sheets and passing out in a half-drunken euphoria. He had laid awake for another hour, basking in the glow and planning ahead. _'If things keep going this smoothly I'll have the Ueshima shares before next season.'  
><em>  
>As the sun rose in the East he had climbed out of bed and showered, Noa still fast asleep. After changing into his most casual work attire, he made himself his usual cup of morning tea and waited for Noa to wake up. He watched her for a while, making notes in his head. His tea was nearly gone before she finally awoke, and it was apparent she was completely lost. <em>'I wonder how much she remembers.'<em>

Before long his work was finished, what little of it there was to do. He could have postponed coming in today, but it gave both he and Noa a chance to gather their thoughts alone. Besides, he didn't like leaving things unfinished- the less messy things were, the better. He didn't get the position he was in by procrastinating.

After leaving, he drove slowly through the midday traffic, in no hurry at all. Everything was going so well, why try to rush things at this point?

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

Noa was nearly asleep when she heard the front door being opened. Rubbing the drool off her face in embarrassment, she sat up on the couch, looking wary as Aizen stepped inside and threw his jacket onto a chair.

"Feeling better?" He asked, going into the kitchen a flipping a switch on an electric kettle. Noa shrugged, watching as he pulled two cups out of a cupboard and sat them on the counter.

"I-I think we need to talk..." She said, trying to sound braver than she felt. Aizen looked up at her as he filled the two cups with steaming water and dunked two teabags into them.

"Talk? About what?" He replied, walking into the sitting area and handing her a cup. Taking it, Noa held the warmth in between her fingers, staring into the golden liquid.

"About last night."

Frowning, Aizen sipped from his tea and sat down in a chair to her left. "That wasn't your _first_ time, was it?"

"N-no!" Noa exclaimed, sitting straighter and blushing. "It wasn't. I just...I didn't want you to think that this is a regular thing for me. I don't go around _sleeping_ with people whenever I drink to much, last night was just..."

Aizen smiled. "Just what?"

She shrugged, embarrassed. "Just different."

He looked at her strangely. "So you aren't involved with anyone and these 'kinds of things' aren't a regular occurrence for you, but with me it's...different?"

Noa frowned. "Yeah. Basically."

A small chuckle, and Aizen sat back into his chair. "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an offense."

Noa could feel her face growing pinker. "S-sorry..."

"No, don't be." Aizen sat his cup down on the table. "And honestly, despite whatever_ rumors_ you may have heard, these 'kinds of things' aren't a regular occurrence for me either."

_'That's...not what I was expecting to hear.' _Sipping slowly from her cup, she enjoyed the taste and smell of vanilla for a few moments. A thought suddenly occurred to her, and there was a strange feeling in her chest. She looked up, and Aizen was gazing at her intently, in a way that made her want to shrink into the couch.

"Forgive me if this sounds...rude, sir, but...why _me_?" _'You have the literal pick of the crop. You could have any woman you wanted- they'd all jump at the opportunity to get a piece of you. Why on Earth did you take _me_ home?'_

Aizen smiled softly. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Noa." Her stomach fluttered as he used her first name. It sounded so intimate.

"You and I are more alike than you realize," Aizen said. "Granted, there are many things that are and will remain different about us, but there is a similarity there."

"I will confess that you are most intriguing, and I have been quite..._interested_ in you ever since that night at the gala," he continued. "I'm sure you've seen the majority of women who throw themselves at me; they're shallow, insignificant creatures. You have quite a bit more...depth. It's quite attractive." He looked at her, eyes dark and slightly dangerous. "Was I wrong in assuming you felt more or less the same?

Noa shook her head slowly, knowing that to lie at this point was useless. _'The problem is, I can't tell if _he's_ lying or not.'_ She had never considered herself unattractive, but had never done much to make herself particularly desirable. If he truly was attracted to her 'depth', as he said, she was extremely flattered and shocked. If not, he was a _really_good liar.

"And it could be a regular occurrence," Aizen said suddenly, getting up to come sit next to her. Noa slid her legs up under herself, pushing her body into the corner of the couch. She noticed Aizen scan her body in what was obviously _his_ shirt, and she blushed again.

"Sir?"

"Call me Aizen," he said. "We're not at work."

_'That's going to be uncomfortable...' _"Okay...what do you mean, Si- I mean, Aizen?"

His brow raised. "Usually when there is a mutual attraction between two people, those people begin a relationship."

Her heart, which had been fluttering madly all morning, stopped. _'I'm-I'm dead. I'm dying, or hallucinating, or dreaming, or something, because this is _not_ happening right now...!'_

"It wouldn't be immediately serious, of course," he continued as Noa had an internal panic attack in front of him. He slung one arm over the back of the couch, slouching comfortably in his own home. It was a little strange, to see him like that. Noa felt less out of place than he looked. "But I'm willing to try, if you are interested."

For the millionth time, Noa was struck dumb in his presence. Her mind flew, trying to process everything he was saying and the implications and potential outcomes of each. Part of her wanted to say yes, and climb into his lap. Part of her wanted to sit there and discuss things like an adult. And another part of her wanted to leap out of the window.

"I honestly don't know," Noa said finally, trying to form cohesive sentences in her mind before she sputtered out something incomprehensible. "It's not you," she corrected herself suddenly, afraid of offending him. "It's just that this whole thing is a lot more than I was prepared to deal with when I left with you yesterday evening. I think I need a little more time..."

"Understandable," Aizen nodded. "Although I must say I was hoping for a different response, I'm willing to wait." Standing, he held out his hand and Noa took it, albeit hesitantly. "I'll take you home, if you want. Your things, besides the clothes here, are in my car."

Nodding, Noa followed him out the door, wondering what exactly she was heading into.

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

Aizen drove her himself to her apartment, a change from being driver by his chauffeur. She was a little embarrassed to have him drive from the fancy first ring to her own rather modest neighborhood, and she hoped he would just drop her off outside the apartment building and go, but he insisted on following her up the stairs to her door.

"Thank you," Noa said quietly, shuffling her bare feet on the front mat as she unlocked her door. She didn't open it all the way-her own sparse living quarters were nothing compared to the place she had just left. Today had been embarrassing enough as it was.

"My pleasure," Aizen replied, and grasped her chin with a strong yet surprisingly gentle hand. Noa flushed pink as he laid a soft kiss on her forehead, closing her eyes momentarily. She grasped the bottom of the shirt she was wearing, and remembered whose exactly it was.

"I'm still wearing your shirt," she said, smiling despite herself. Aizen let go of her chin, and looked her up and down.

"Keep it," he said, and turned to go. Noa watched as he disappeared down the steps, sighing softly to herself before letting herself into her apartment.

-0-

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading!<strong>


	15. Kaishi

**Thanks so much to:  
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**Nundica (I'm so happy you like it, even if you're not an Aizen fan. Thanks!)  
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**This is a little mini, in-between chapter for you guys. It's not very long, but it wasn't supposed to be.**

**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot, mentions of mature situations  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!  
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**Enjoy!  
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* * *

><p>It was late Saturday evening by the time Noa felt like getting out of bed again. After Aizen had dropped her off she had crawled into bed and slept the rest of her hangover off. And after she had awoken she had laid in bed for a long time, tangled in her sheets and Aizen's soft shirt.<p>

She desperately felt like talking to someone about what he had proposed, but didn't know who. Her mother was out of the question, as were all her friends. Tesla would have a heart attack, Shūhei would never talk to her again, and she didn't know or trust anyone else to help. _'I'm all alone on this one.'_

She still wondered what exactly he saw in her, and what he aimed to get out of a relationship with her._ 'Other than the obvious, of course,'_ she thought, blushing and wrapping her arms around herself. With her head finally cleared she remembered more and more of their night together, and the memories made her squirm and shiver at the same time. He was very attractive, and knew what he was doing, and despite the fact that she was very inexperienced the entire night was memorable. _'I'm glad I didn't embarrass myself, at least.'_

Getting out of bed, she took off Aizen's shirt and folded it carefully, placing it in her dresser. She changed into her own pajamas, and went into her kitchen to make a cup of tea. _'It'll help me think.'_

Sitting on her couch (she couldn't help but to be reminded of how small her apartment was compared to Aizen's), Noa sipped her tea and tried to be rational about the situation.

_'He sounded completely serious when he asked me out,' _she decided, not sure of what else to call it. Saying he asked her out sounded so juvenile, but she supposed that's what it was. She wondered if he had these intentions all along, or decided after she had started working with him. As far as she knew she hadn't been very seductive, not that she knew how to be anyways.

_'Do I want to be in a relationship with him?' _She asked herself. This is where it got tricky. If she went by looks alone, then yes, she did. The man was a god; what else could she ask for? Intelligent, handsome, dripping with sex appeal and wealth- he was every woman's dream. _'But that doesn't change his personality or reputation.'_She was still intimidated by him. He could still hurt her very badly if she did something reckless. She doubted he would if she refused him, but no doubt working for him, in the same office no doubt, would be very uncomfortable.

_'Could I love him?'_ she sighed to herself, _'Isn't that what relationships are for?'_ She knew there were different kinds of love. Her parents had fallen in love at first sight, or so they had claimed. Noa had never doubted it- she had grown up seeing them in love, and it had never wavered. But there were other kinds of love, other ways of falling in love. Her aunt had been betrothed, and she and her husband got on very well. And her friend who was getting married had dated her fiance all throughout college, and Noa knew they loved each other as well. Aizen was intimidating, yes, but she knew it wasn't fair to judge him on what other people said about him. _'Maybe, if we spent some time together, if I got to know him better...'_

_'Does Aizen even want love out of this? Or am I just a passing fancy, a sex object?'_ For some reason, she doubted this._ 'If it was just sex he wanted he could have had anyone. He knows I'm not the kind of person who goes looking for one-night stands, even if he is.'_She was beginning to believe that yes, he really was interested in her, and yes, she was interested in him too.

_'But if I do this...will I ever make it back to the Gotei division?'_ She was sure who she dated couldn't be held against her legally. But would Shūhei even be interested in having her back if she was involved with Aizen? The man was taboo in the Gotei division, and she knew Shūhei would not be happy if she he knew what she was considering._ 'He was so upset when he thought I had intentionally transferred divisions. What would he do if I started going out with Aizen?'_

She groaned, and rubbed her eyes._ 'Aizen or my dream job...Which do I want more?'_

_-0-  
><em>

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><p>-0-<p>

Aizen relaxed in his chair, looking out of his office window. It was late, nearly ten in the evening, yet he still didn't want to return to his apartment. After he had dropped Noa off he had returned briefly, to clean up the little messes left around the place. He had a housekeeper, but preferred to keep his liaisons as secret as possible.

Once he had seen the tangle of sheets and her dress torn on the floor, he had found himself becoming distracted. He knew it was too soon, but he wanted her again. So, to keep his mind off things, he went into his office to busy himself with non-Noa related tasks.

He wasn't exactly worried about her answer. _'No one says no to me.'_ He had held her, and touched her, and looked in her eyes. She had pretty eyes, a deep, watery blue. _'She wanted it. I could tell.' _Smirking, he sipped his usual cup of jasmine tea and watched the lights in the city flicker. He felt powerful here, looking out from his company office over the city. _'Eventually it will all be mine.'_

Noa was just the stepping stone into the future, but that didn't mean he wasn't allowed to take any pleasure from it. He'd done it before- seduce young women into his bed, and then dump them unceremoniously later. _'This will have to be more involved, however.' _He was prepared to go very far for his plans. Considering Noa's cautious nature, the goings might be slow at the beginning, but the end product would definitely be worth it.

A small knock and the sound of the door opening made him turn. He raised a brow as Noa, dressed casually in jeans and a light jacket, let herself inside.

"Good evening," Aizen said. He was a little surprised, to be honest. He hadn't expected an answer this soon- he was prepared to wait until Monday at least.

Noa smiled softly, and moved to sit in front of him. "Ah," Aizen interrupted her, standing from his place at the desk. When she looked at him, surprised, he grabbed her arm gently.

"Sitting at the desk is too impersonal- we're not making a business deal," he answered, leading her towards the window. There was a ledge with cushions for sitting, and they sat side by side, looking out the window together.

"How did you know I'd be here?" He asked her, and Noa shrugged.

"Lucky guess, I suppose. And it was easier for me to get here than back to your apartment- I figured I'd try here before heading there," she answered, and Aizen nodded.

"I forgot you have no way to contact me. I'll have to give you my cell phone number." Noa nodded, and fell silent, looking out the window.

"I've been thinking," Noa said quietly, after a while. Aizen watched her, her hand wringing together nervously. He subconsciously went back to the previous night- he had scratches on his back from those hands. Resisting the urge to smirk (that would be bad), he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"I've been thinking, and I...I would like to try," Noa said, looking at him and flushing. "A relationship, that is."

"That's fantastic," Aizen said almost immediately. "I'm glad you're willing."

"But," Noa held up a hand, stopping him, "I have a small request."

Aizen's brow rose. "Yes?"

"Could we be...discreet about it, for a while?" Noa asked hesitantly. When Aizen didn't answer, she flushed again. "You know...keep it secret, just until I'm a little more comfortable?"

_'A secret?' _The idea was a little arousing, to be honest. It would be a little difficult, but Aizen could see several benefits. _'This way, the takeover itself will be much more quiet. Yes, this could work.'_

"If that's what you want," Aizen said, and Noa smiled.

"Thank you." There was another silence, this one more comfortable. The air had changed between them- it was still tense, but it was a different kind of tense. He stared at her for a moment, before he reached forward and grasped her chin his hand.

This time she was much more responsive. Her lips parted as they met his, and he could feel the hint of a smile on them as they moved closer together. He eventually broke from her lips and began to kiss down her jaw, to just underneath her ear and onto her neck and shoulder.

"No one is here," he said deeply, pushing her back onto the cushions. Noa blushed, understanding his intentions, and he saw her eyes dart to the window. He smirked.

"No one can see in here either." He helped her slip off her jacket, and began to make his way down her neck and collarbone.

"It'll be our little _secret_."

-0-


	16. Little Birds

**Thank you to**

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**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot, language, mentions of mature situations...  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.  
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**A/N: **Sorry, this took longer than expected, but I had to take a break from Bleach. The latest chapters have been too much for me. :( So sad...I HATE QUINCIES.**  
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**Enjoy!  
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* * *

><p>For the second time in two days, Ueshima Noa woke up in Aizen Sōsuke's bed. Except this time, she meant to be there.<p>

_'Mmm...'_ she pressed her face further into the pillow, and willed her body to wake. It was hard, seeing as the sheets were deliciously comfortable and cool, like sleeping on a cloud. _'I love my bed, but I could get used to this one...'_

She had retired with Aizen here after spending a busy hour in his office. She had meant to go home after talking to him, but he had been very persuasive. Noa admitted to herself that she was becoming quite enamored with him. His mind was a frightful thing to behold, and she was sure he could stimulate her brain in many ways, but it was his body that had been speaking to her the past few nights. The remains of a tantalizing dream lingered within her, and she sighed. _'Two days in and I'm a pervert. Fantastic...'_

Lifting her head, she realized she was alone in the bed. She wasn't surprised, supposing it must be well into the day by the amount of sunlight streaming through the windows. Yawning, she sat up and looked around, realizing she was once again without a change of clothes. _'If this keeps happening I'll have to start carrying an outfit with me wherever I go.'_Smiling at the thought, she made to get up and shower when her phone began to ring.

Frowning, she found her pants on the floor and fished the small device from the pocket. Not recognizing the number, she pressed the call button and held it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Ueshima? This is Hisagi."

Noa's heart jumped up into her chest, and she peered around, making sure Aizen wasn't in the vicinity. "Oh!"

"Am I interrupting anything? I have something to discuss with you."

"N-no, not at all!" Noa said lowly, shutting the bedroom door quietly and going to the back of the room. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"It's about your transferal," Shūhei said, and Noa swallowed roughly. "I've talked with Ukitake, and he thinks we can figure out a loophole in the paperwork to get you back over here. He wants to discuss it with us both- are you free later this afternoon?"

Noa thought quickly. She hadn't expected anything from Shūhei this quickly, nor had she expected things with Aizen to get this complicated. '_Where do my priorities lay?'_

"Sure," she decided finally. "What time?"

"How's four? Just come to the thirteenth floor, you'll find your way from there. Talk to you later, Ueshima."

"Thank you, sir," Noa said softly, and ended the call. Slumping against the wall, she ran her fingers through her hair and groaned. _'What am I going to do?'_

"Good morning."

Jolting her head up, Noa looked to the door where Aizen had opened it and was looking at her with interest. "What are you doing over there?"

"I got a call," she replied quickly, waving her phone. "I, uh, have to go meet my...mother," she lied lamely, hoping he bought it.

He frowned slightly. "That's too bad. I was going to ask if you wanted to go out for brunch, but I suppose that will have to wait."

Noa blushed, and picked up her clothes. "Yeah. Perhaps another time."

"Would you like me to drive you?"

"Oh, no," Noa said, pulling her legs through her jeans. "I'll take a cab. My mother has a tendency to talk my ear off, and if she see's me with you people would hear about it."

"Oh, yes. Our secret." Aizen smirked. "Very well, then. I suppose I shall see you tomorrow morning, then." He watched as she threw on her shirt and jacket, tucking her phone away. She stopped in front of him, and fidgeted. Blushing, she closed her eyes as he lifted her chin up and brought their mouths together, enjoying the softness of his skin and the sweet after taste of his tea. Without thinking, she brought her arms up to wrap around his broad shoulders and neck, and he responded by deepening the kiss. When they finally broke away, Noa was out of breath and smiling, a mirror of Aizen's own curved lips.

He followed her to the elevator, stroking her cheek as he bestowed her with one last lingering kiss. As she rode down the building, Noa sighed, stomach flip-flopping. She felt like a schoolgirl with her first crush, not quite sure how to handle it all yet. Part of her wanted to touch him and be with him, but another part told her to be wary and attentive. _'He does seem affectionate, but I must remember to keep my head. The last thing I need is to be swept off my feet with my guard down. This relationship could ruin me.'_

She doubted the implications of the relationship would harm Aizen in any way. He was powerful, and notorious enough for this to be blown off to his side. Noa, however, would not be so lucky. If word got out in an unsavory manner, her fragile, nearly non-existent reputation would be burned to the ground. Even if she managed to fade away quietly, she would always be known amongst the social and job circuits as 'the girl who Aizen was fucking'. No matter how hard she might say otherwise, that's how it would look to outsiders. She had seen and heard it before, and did not want it to happen to her.

_'I don't know if this will be a successful venture.'_She knew better than to expect their fragile time together to extend far into the future, and although deep inside she had that hope, she was prepared to take it for what it was.

When the elevator reached the ground floor, she caught a taxi and directed it to her apartment. _'I'll change, and then head over to the Gotei division. Hopefully no one from the Las Noches division will recognize me...'_ The last thing Noa wanted was Aizen getting news she was attending a meeting with her former employer. She already felt like she was treading on thin ice- there was no need to crack it further.

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

It took her only a little while to shower and find suitable clothes- she had forgotten to do her laundry so her choices were limited. She had never met Ukitake Jushiro, but figured he wouldn't care if she was dressed to a T or not. Besides, it was Sunday. If there was any day to dress in a relaxed manner, today was it.

Noa decided taking the train would take too long and be too risky, so she splurged and called another taxi. _'Good thing Aizen's paying me handsomely, or else I'd be sleeping in a box next month.' _

The taxi dropped her off outside the main Gotei building, and Noa hurried inside, still slightly paranoid that she would be recognized. She doubted Aizen would be pleased to hear about her coming here, if only from a business standpoint. As much as she hated to admit it, Aizen was a very possessive man, and probably would not take kindly to her plans to return to the Gotei division- _'That is, if that's still a possibility now...' _

The Thirteenth Division was the second to the top floor of the building, and oversaw a series of various businesses and companies, from things like the Entertainment Industry to Human Resources. They were a very well-rounded department, and it's head, Ukitake Jushiro, was one of the original CEO's of the entire Seireitei Inc. Despite having heard nothing but good things about him, Noa was slightly nervous. The elevator slowed to a halt, and Noa stepped outside, glancing around the bustling reception area.

There were people around, all moving at different paces, but it was all very much organized when compared to the Ninth Division. Large screens on the walls showcased several of the department's industries, including hotels, concert halls and production companies. Spying a large desk, Noa walked towards it, figuring the secretary could tell her where to go.

Behind the desk sat two people, a man and a woman. The woman looked slightly familiar, but Noa couldn't place where she had seen her before. She seemed to be having an argument with the man next to her.

"No, stupid-head, those forms go to the Sixth Division, for archiving!" The woman spat, grasping a folder and pulling it away from the man. He growled, and thumped her on the head, taking the folder back and sitting on it.

"No! I told you, they're to be delivered to the Seventh Division, and then to the Sixth! Captain told me so!"

"Shut it, monkey-face!"

"You shut it, booger-brain!"

Noa paused uncomfortably, looking around. _'Should I interrupt them...?'_ She looked at the clock. It was nearly four, and she didn't want to make herself look bad by being late.

"HEY!" A loud yell made everyone in the office jump. A petite woman, a few inches shorter than Noa, slammed the arguing pair's heads together in a comedic fashion. "Cut it out, you two!"

Rubbing her head sheepishly, the orange-haired woman nodded. "Sorry, vice-captain Kuchiki." The man nodded as well, and bent over his computer.

Sighing, the dark haired woman shook her head, and smiled wearily at Noa. "Sorry about them. Can I help you?"

Relieved, Noa nodded. "Uh, yes. I'm here to see Mr. Ukitake and Shūhei Hisgai..."

The woman's face brightened with realization. "Oh! You must be Ueshima Noa, then?" When Noa nodded, the girl beckoned for her to follow. "We've been expecting you. Right this way, then."

She lead Noa down a much quieter hallway, to a large conference room door. After knocking politely, she opened it and peeked inside. "Sir? Miss Ueshima is here."

"Thank you, Rukia," Noa heard a voice say. "Let her in, please."

Smiling, Kuchiki Rukia held open the door for Noa, who walked inside to see Shūhei sitting across from a handsome man with white hair. He had a kind smile on his face, and Noa felt some of her nervousness go away.

"Please, sit down," Ukitake said, and Noa obliged, sliding into a comfortable chair besides Shūhei.

"Hello, sir," Noa said politely, and Shūhei smiled.

"Now, then," Ukitake began. "I hear you've been kidnapped by our dear Sōsuke." When Noa nodded, he smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry about that. He's been doing things like this for quite a while, and although it's usually impossible for us to reverse things, there may be a loophole in the paperwork we can exploit to get you returned to Shūhei's department." He lifted a page from his desk, and slid it across to Noa, who picked it up.

"What that says," he continued after Noa scanned the document, "Is that after a certain period of time, you can re-apply for another transfer, on certain grounds. You see, one of the reasons you were transferred so smoothly the first time was due to the fact that you were a fairly new employee, and had very little say in, well, anything. However," he looked at her with an air of reassurance, "You have to work for at least until the end of the year in order for you to accumulate enough tenure to even consider applying once more. It's quite a long time, I understand that, but it's the only way."

Noa thought about this. _'The end of the year...while I wish I could end it sooner, maybe this is a good thing. It gives me more time to see exactly where I stand with Aizen, and if things turn bitter, it gives me a chance to break things off before I leave permanently.'_ She wondered if she would have the bravery and resolve to do such a thing. _'I hope so...'_

"Alright," she said. "Thank you sir, I realize this must be a sizable hassle for someone not even under your jurisdiction."

Ukitake shook his head. "No, not at all. I'm rather fond of Shūhei, and he seems to be quite concerned about this." Noa smiled, and bowed her head to a solemn Hisagi.

"Besides," Ukitake continued, "I think we're all a little tired of Sōsuke exploiting everyone and exercising his power in unnecessary ways. Perhaps this will serve to remind him of his beginning, and humble him a bit."

_'That's a far-fetched idea,'_ Noa thought gloomily, but nodded. "Yes, sir."

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

"Ya know, I think you spend more time in the office than out of it, Cap'n."

Aizen looked up to see Gin lounging in the doorway. "Can I help you?"

Grinning ever so widely, Gin merely shrugged. "Nah. I jus' wanted to see how your little plan is going, is all."

"All is as planned," Aizen said, leaning back in his chair. "Things are moving a little slowly, I will admit, but I'm further along that I had anticipated." He looked up to see Gin hovering, and got the feeling he had something to say. "Why do you ask?"

Pulling a chair closer to the desk, Ichimaru laid his elbows on the polished surface. "No reason...just that I heard from a couple of little birds that your _little project_ was seen going into the Gotei Division at about four o'clock this afta'noon."

Aizen frowned. 'So she lied to me...how disappointing.' "Really. And what was the purpose of such an excursion, may I ask?"

"No idea," Gin said flatly. "Just that she got into an elevator, went up somewhere, and came back down an hour later. She arrived and left with no one."

Aizen mulled this over. _'The most likely explanation is that she was seeing someone from her old division. Which, in itself, is nothing to be worried about, unless...' _He looked up, and stroked his cheek softly. "Gin."

"Yes, Cap'n?"

"Will you tell Tousen to bring me the department transferal documents, and someone to analyze them for me? Ulquiorra, perhaps."

Gin's smile faltered. "You aren't worried about her goin' there, are ya? She was probably just picking up somethin' she left..."

"It is possible," Aizen admitted, "But we had everything of hers moved. _'And I doubt she wouldn't have lied to unless she was afraid I find something out.' _

Gin rose, as if to lose, when Aizen's voice made him turn. "None of this reaches her, Gin," he said sternly. "We don't need her suspecting anything. If it happens again, let her go, but do. Not. Let her know she's being watched. Understand?"

Nodding, Gin bowed almost mockingly and left with a saunter. Aizen sighed, and spun around to gaze out the window.

He had thought Noa would be fairly easy to control, but if he let things get out of control now things would be ruined. He would let her have the illusion of independence, of course, but he'd also have to start tightening his grip on her.

"I'm not going to lose this, Miss Ueshima," he murmured to himself. His mind flashed to earlier, to their kiss in his apartment, and something flared in his chest, a mixture of lust and a strong desire for control. _'I will not lose.'_

_-0-_


	17. Lessons

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**Please enjoy this chapter!**

**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot, language, mentions of mature situations...  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: In this chapter you meet some other characters. Most of their names I have used the correct romanization, but some I have used the names I think sound best. They are all still recognizable.  
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* * *

><p>Going into work on Monday, Noa's mind was sullied with nervous thoughts. Aizen had agreed to keep their budding relationship a secret, per her request, but she was still unsure of how it would work out. Try as she might, she couldn't help but feel somewhat wary of the entire situation. She had so much to lose, and Aizen...well, Noa doubted that there was anything that could hurt the man at this point.<p>

Deciding that she'd just act normally, she steeled herself for another day at the Las Noches division. _'I still hate the decor in here,_' she thought sullenly to herself, and frowned. _'Needs more color.'_ For once, she was thankful she worked in Aizen's office. At least there was a significant lack of marble in there.

She wondered briefly, as she was going up in the elevator, about the events that had transpired the previous day in the Gotei Division. She was thankful that Ukitake and Hisagi were trying to help her, but Noa was still conflicted. She didn't want anyone to find out about her and Aizen, she didn't want to lose her job, she didn't want to leave Aizen, and she didn't want to disappoint anyone. _'I might need to eventually...'_ Noa sighed, and swallowed roughly. The last thing she needed was to worry about these things right now.

Entering Aizen's office, she was greeted with the sight of her boss talking intently to Loly, the secretary. Stepping as quietly as she could, she waited patiently as they conversed.

Loly ignored her sullenly, as usual, but Noa recognized a spark in Aizen's gaze as it transferred from the pigtailed secretary to her. He paused in his lecture, and beckoned her forward.

"There's a meeting in five minutes," he said quietly, and Noa nodded, understanding immediately. Part of her job was to follow him and take notes during any meetings Aizen attended. Stepping past them, Noa began to gather the necessary tools as Aizen then continued his conversation with Loly.

It didn't last very long, and before she knew it, Loly was leaving with the days instructions and Noa was ready to go. She made to head towards the door, but as soon as it clicked shut behind Loly, Aizen grabbed her by the wrist as she passed and pulled her towards him. Noa dropped her clipboard as she fell against Aizen, who wrapped her arms around her, drawing her close.

"Good morning," he said huskily, face buried in the hair around the nape of her neck. Noa had left it down, remembering that he had liked it. It made her blush, both out of pleasure and embarrassment.

"What if someone comes in?" She whispered frantically, struggling slightly. "They'll see us!"

"I don't care," Aizen replied, one hand now resting on her leg. Noa cursed the fact that she was wearing a skirt today as the hand traveled up her thigh.

"_You promised_," she whispered furiously, heart beating like a drum. "And what about the meeting?"

Sighing, Aizen let his hand drop and released her. "Very well." Noa stumbled off his lap, straightening her clothes and hair. Picking up her dropped clipboard, she patted her face, hoping she wasn't too red. "You make it far too tempting, however. I am not to blame."

Ignoring the suggestive comment, Noa waited patiently as Aizen gathered his own materials, an amused look on his face. She felt slightly bad for refusing like she had, but she did not want to risk anything right now. Who knows who could have walked in and seen something?

"Alright, let's go." Noa let Aizen lead the way out of the office, and to the end of the hallway. The board meeting room was on the floor just below this one, so they'd be taking the elevator. To her relief, Aizen did not try anything while on the short trip down- she still didn't know how red her face still was. Despite the embarrassment and ill-timing, Aizen had succeeded in exciting her. She wondered if that was his goal in the first place.

"How was your mother," Aizen said suddenly and off-handedly as the exited the elevator. Noa frowned.

"Pardon?"

"Your mother," Aizen repeated, looking down at her as they crossed the hallway towards the open meeting door. "You left to see her yesterday."

"Oh!" Noa exclaimed, suddenly remembering. "Oh, she's, um, fine. Just wanted to talk, that's all. Nothing too terribly important."

Aizen did not reply, but merely smirked. Noa's stomach flip-flopped, and she was suddenly afraid he suspected something. _'But how could he know? There's no way...'_

Those thoughts were still on the back of her mind as they entered the meeting room. It quietly buzzed with the voices of over a dozen people. The heads of each department and their direct subordinates all attended these bi-monthly meetings. Noa recognized Ulquiorra, who ignored her, Tesla, who gave a small wave, and Tousen and Gin, both who didn't seem to see her. Feeling that that may be a good thing, Noa took her place behind Aizen, who sat at the head of the long meeting table. Each head of department took their own seats, with their vice-heads standing behind them in the same manner Noa was. The room immediately went quiet, and Noa watched as Tousen cleared his throat.

"Roll call," he announced, and the man standing behind him held a pen over his clipboard. Tousen turned his blind gaze over the table, and began to speak.

"Coyote Starrk, head of 1st Department."

"Present," a rough voice said, coming from the opposite end of the table. A sleepy looking man with drooping eyes placed his chin on his hand and looked bored. Besides Aizen and the other CEO, Noa knew Starrk had the most power out of anyone in the room, despite not looking the part.

"Barragan Luisenbarn, Head of 2nd Department."

"Present," another, very strong voice answered. Barragan sat the immediate right of Starrk, his arms crossed over his powerful chest. His name was almost legendary around here. He had been the president of the Las Noches division before the company was taken over by Aizen. Barragan had been allowed to stay on, as he was a valuable asset to the company, but had been given the spot of Head of the 2nd Department, replaced with the more loyal Starrk. Noa had heard rumors of the man's temper, and was more than willing to stay out of his way.

"Tier Harribel, Head of 3rd Department."

"Here," A low, feminine voice replied. Noa caught sight of the beautiful woman sitting to the left of Starrk. Her blond hair fell stylishly around her face, and her arms were crossed under her bountiful bosom. As one of the only women to have risen far up in the company, Noa had a begrudging respect for Harribel. She was slightly jealous of her chest, however.

"Ulquiorra Cifer, Head of 4th Department."

"Present," Ulquiorra replied quietly, not looking up from the papers in front of him.

"Gilga Nnoitra, Head of 5th Department."

"Yo," A very tall, lank man replied, an enormous toothy grin on his face. Nnoitra was easily one of the strangest men Noa had ever seen, with his long, dark hair and giant, somewhat threatening grins. He was a sharp contrast to the considerably nicer-looking Tesla, who stood behind Nnoitra passively.

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez, Head of 6th Department."

"Here," Grimmjow replied, leaning back in his chair. Noa quietly admired his hair, a shocking but interesting shade of blue, and his muscular physique. Sitting across from Nnoitra, the blue-eyed man glared uninterestedly at Nnoitra, who he obviously had some sort of rivalry with. Next to him, Ulquiorra rolled his eyes, a motion Noa barely saw and thought hilarious.

"Ichimaru Gin, CEO and head of 7th Department."

"Heyo," Gin announced, thin fingers locked together as he gazed over the table.

"Szayel Apporo Granz, Head of 8th Department."

"Present," a silky voice slid over her ears, and Noa saw the pink-haired scientist sitting closer to her end of the table. Despite his odd hair color, Noa noticed he was dressed rather up-to-date and fashionably, with a perfectly tailored suit and white glasses that complimented his face nicely. However, she knew looks could be deceiving- she had only ever heard unpleasant stories about what came out of the man's laboratories.

"I, Kaname Tousen, CEO and Head of 9th Department, am present," Tousen continued. "Which leaves us with Yammy Llargo, head of 10th Department-"

"Hmph." A very large man sat near Noa, his black hair pulled back into a long ponytail. Noa frowned, remembering Ulquiorra's comments about him, and realized he looked as stupid as he had implied.

"-And Neliel Tu Odelschvanck," Head of Special Division One."

"Here!" A cheerful voice said, directly to Noa's right. A woman with a mane of long, sea-green hair smiled pleasantly. While not a head of one of the main departments, Neliel was in charge of several small departments convalesced into a network making up Special Division One. Down the table, Noa heard Nnoitra scoff and turn his head away from the woman.

"Very good," Aizen said suddenly, leaning back into his chair. As roll was being called, a quiet, plain-looking worker had made her way around the table and served cups of tea to each head. Bringing his own to his lips, Aizen took a sip and set it down, gaze still on everyone at the table.

Noa marveled at how rapt everyone's attention was. During Tousen's part, several people had begun to look bored or tired, and lost interest. However, as soon as Aizen had spoken, everyone had given him their full attention. Noa wondered if it was out of fear, respect, or perhaps a mixture of both.

The meeting then swung into full gear. Noa took notes of what she figured to be important, but for the most part found herself becoming bored. She fought to keep herself from slouching, and silently thanked her mother for all the years of 'proper' training. She had been raised to stand straight and tall, and to be quiet by her mother. It was not without purpose- she was able to observe and infer from her surroundings quite well, a skill she supposed most higher-born women gained at some point in their lives.

So far, she had noticed how each person acted during their own time and when others were talking. Starrk had to be woken up several times after his own report, which had been first. Barragan had something to say about almost every issue- some of which brought up important points, most of which Noa suspected he said just because he could. Harribel was quiet and respectful the entire time, and Noa noticed she seemed the most concerned about the social issues more than the financial ones. Ulquiorra rarely spoke, even during his own report, Nnoitra used several colorful words when he spoke and lost interest in many thing quickly, and Grimmjow had the habit of mocking anything Nnoitra or Ulquiorra said. Szayel's tone was polite but condescending, and Yammy did not have much to say or add. Gin's report was one of the longest, as he kept getting sidetracked on several different unrelated issues. Tousen seemed to be the moderator, and prompted several topics into fruition. As for Aizen, he was quietly for nearly the entire time, save for when asking short questions.

The meeting ran for two hours before Noa's attention was brought back into the fray. The talk had condensed from reports from each department to the overall health of the entire company. Noa took several important notes about the state of the company and how it was faring, its influence in the economy and the influence it had on other conglomerates. It was interesting an important, giving her an inside look on how the company was doing and how it was run.

After that, the meeting ran for another forty-five minutes before everyone was allowed to leave. It was nearing lunch time, and Noa was hungry- she had forgotten to eat earlier. Looking forward to a pleasant lunch, perhaps with Aizen, even, she walked towards the door, when a sudden curse made her stop and look at Starrk, who she had been passing.

"Crap," he said quietly, and she saw he was looking at his phone. He ran his fingers through his hair, and looked up at her, noticing her slightly concerned expression. "It's Monday, isn't it."

"Um, yes," Noa replied. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"Did you forget that Lilynette gets out early on Monday's?" Harribel interjected, coming over to stand next to Starrk. There was a frown on her face. "You do this nearly every week."

"I know," Starrk grumbled. "And I forgot to call the nanny. Guess I'll have to go get her..."

"You can't just_ leave_, you're the head of 1st Department," Harribel admonished, gazing at him disapprovingly. "I'll send Apacci or Mila Rose to fetch her, again-"

"I'll do it," Noa interuppted, before she could stop herself. "I'm not busy at the moment, which I'm sure both of you are..."

Both Harribel and Starrk looked at her strangely. "Who are you, again?" Starrk wondered, and Noa blanched.

"Uh, Ueshima Noa. I'm Aizen's...assistant." She bowed shortly, clipboard pressed against her chest. "Like I said, I'm not busy. It's my break anyways."

Harribel's mouth twisted, but Starrk stepped forward. "Do you know where St. Anne's Academy for Girls is?"

"Yes, I went there as a child," Noa replied.

Starrk visibly relaxed, a small smile appeared on his face. "Thanks. Lilynette has blond hair- she usually waits underneath the poplar trees lining the drive. If you could just bring her back here..."

"Sure," Noa said, a smiled softly. She didn't know exactly why she had offered to help Starrk, but there was no turning back now. Her stomach grumbled in protest, however, and she fought back a grimace.

Deciding to drop her things off back in Aizen's office and leave a note, she hurried back. She scribbled a short note of where she was going and left it on his keyboard, figuring he wouldn't really care. Last she had seen, he had been in a deep conversation with Tousen, Gin, and Ulquiorra over the financial records, and hadn't seemed to even notice her leave. She wondered if this was how the relationship would be- both of them rushing about, dealing with various problems and tasks. 'No wonder he took advantage of the few quiet minutes he had earlier. There isn't much time otherwise.'

She headed out, deciding to take the train. St. Anne's really wasn't too far away, and maybe if she hurried she could get lunch before heading back. She was in the mood for something sweet.

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

By the time Aizen had cleared up several issues in the meeting room, everyone had left, including Noa. Figuring she had returned to his office, he gathered his things and exited the room.

The meeting had gone as expected. The usual reports were done, and nothing unexpected had come up, thankfully. Their earnings were a little on the low side, but according to Ulquiorra's analysis, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Yes, it had been a rather normal event, and Aizen was even looking forward to having the next few hours alone with Noa in his office.

He really was becoming quite fond of her. They had spent very little time together so far, but her attitude was relaxing and refreshing. And her body was snug and comfortable, as he remembered back to earlier in the office. Her reaction to his advances were expected, and he really didn't intend for it to be anything more than it was, but he knew that she could feel how he felt. And under different circumstances, who knows what could have transpired there, in the middle of the office on a busy Monday morning.

However, Aizen's quiet ministrations deflated as soon as he reached his office and found it to be empty. Going over to his desk, he picked up Noa's note and read it quietly, a small frown appearing, creating a slight crease between his brows.

_Aizen-_

_ I offered to go pick up Mr. Coyote's daughter/sister? Anyways, I'm afraid I'll be out this lunch period. I apologize for any inconvenience, and I will make up any work as soon as I return._

_ -Noa_

It was short and to the point- perfect, just in case someone other than Aizen had found it first. Hidden inside, though, was an apology for skipping out on him again. _'She must be feeling guilty. She lied to me yesterday, and refused me this morning.'_ Sighing, he crumpled up the note and tossed it into the wastebasket, dropping into his chair. An idea formed in his mind, and he stroked his chin in thought, a enticing plan begging to be enacted.

_'I'm going to have to teach her a lesson when she returns.'_

–

St. Anne's School for Girls was exactly how Noa remembered it. It was a beautiful campus, with flower gardens and fountains surrounding the old and regal buildings. Her mother had gone here, as did her mother before her, and so on. It offered a 'proper' upbringing and education for young ladies from kindergarten to eighth grade. Noa had made many of her current friends here- the rest she met in high school and university.

Walking up the drive, she passed several girls of varying ages, some accompanied by mothers or fathers or governesses. They all had the same child-like innocence of someone who has yet to learn what the world was really like, sheltered as they were. Noa remembered back to her time here, back when she neither knew nor cared who Aizen was. If only she had known...

Up ahead, she spotted a young girl standing by herself, kicking her shoes against the trunk of one of the trees. By her blond hair, Noa guessed it was Lilynette, and went forward to introduce herself.

"Excuse me, are you Lilynette?" She asked politely.

The girl turned, a scowl on her face. "He forgot again, didn't he," she said, crossing her arms. Figuring she was talking about Starrk, Noa merely nodded.

"He's sorry that he couldn't come himself. My name is Noa, and I'm here to take you to him."

"How do I know you're not gonna kidnap me and sell me into slavery?" Lilynette said, tapping her foot and not moving. Noa paused, slightly confused.

"Excuse me?"

Smirking, Lilynette picked up her bag. "I'm only joking. Come on, let's go. I'm tired."

Shaking her head incredulously, Noa followed the young girl down the drive. They headed down the quiet streets towards the train station, neither of them speaking. It was awkward. Noa had no idea how to deal with girls Lilynette's age. She was good with babies and older girls, but that was about it. Ages 3-15 were not her forte.

"So, um, you're Starrk's...?" Noa trailed off, unsure. By their ages, Noa suspected that they were either siblings or father and daughter- which, she was not certain.

"He's my brother," Lilynette answered. "We have the same mom- different dads. Well, _had_ the same mom and different dads. They're not in the picture anymore."

Noa didn't know what to say to that. She was curious, for sure but did not want to pry. She cleared her throat, and looked down.

Lilynette turned to look at her, and small smile appeared on her face. "It's okay. I don't mind you asking."

"I just..." Noa shrugged, slightly embarrassed. "I guess I just don't have much experience with these kinds of situations. My home life was relatively normal, and the worst to happen to any of my friends was a divorce."

Lilynette smiled almost sadly, and sighed, beginning her short tale. "Mom had Starrk when she was really young- like sixteen or something. His dad, a guy a lot older than his mom, died when he was three, and after that she sort of...hopped from man to man. I was born nearly twenty years after Starrk was. My dad never wanted me, and mom died when I was still a baby. Starrk had a steady job, and since he was my only family he got custody. He's part dad, part brother, I guess."

Noa's heart clenched. _'So much sadness in one family.'_

As if she could read minds, Lilynette continued. "It's not so bad. Starrk's really smart, even though he doesn't look it. Aizen really relies on him, and he has a good job. I guess the only thing I'm really lacking is a mom, but Harribel and Neliel kind of fill that gap. I'm happy where I am."

Noa smiled. "I'm glad." At that moment, her stomach erupted into a chorus of gurgles, and she blushed, embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I haven't eaten yet."

Lilynette giggled. "There's a coffee house up the road a little. Want to stop and get something?"

Surprised and grateful, Noa nodded eagerly. "Sure."

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

By the time Noa returned to the office, it was well into the workday. She and Lilynette had parted ways in the lobby, the young girl saying thank you and that she knew the way. Noa had been pleasantly surprised- Lilynette was a lot easier to get along with than she would have guessed. _'Especially considering her past. How tragic...I wonder what stories the other employees have?'_

After the usual ride up the elevator, Noa straightened her clothes and wiped around her mouth, making sure none of her delayed lunch was hanging about. Clearing her throat, she pushed open the door of Aizen's office and stepped inside.

"I'm back, sir. I apologize for not telling you before I left."

Aizen sat at his desk, head bent forward as he wrote. He did not acknowledge her entrance in the slighest, and the atmosphere in the room was quite stiff. Noa frowned, and stepped inside quietly. _'Is he angry with me?'_

The answer was obviously yes, she realized, as she gathered up her work and sat down. In any other case she would have assumed he was merely preoccupied with his work, but there was a dark aura trembling around him. It threatened to choke Noa, and it was beginning to make her very uncomfortable. She sunk into her work, slightly afraid and nervous. She hadn't realized her presence would be missed quite so much.

"Have you been avoiding me on purpose?" Aizen's voice spoke quietly after a while. Noa jumped slightly and swallowed roughly.

"No, sir."

The sound of his writing stopped, and without her having to turn around Noa knew he had stood. He stepped up to stand behind her, and Noa bit her lip.

"I think you have been," he said quietly, and one of his hands bent forward to lay on her desk. He spun her around in her chair, and bent over her, face very, very close to hers.

"I don't like to be avoided, Miss Ueshima," he whispered, mouth scraping against hers. Noa's eyes fluttered- she was scared to close them and scared to keep them open. Aizen always kept his eyes open when he kissed her, she had noticed. He was always watching her- she was stupid to think she could escape his gaze.

She was suddenly forced out of her chair, and pushed against his desk. One hand pinned at her side and one pinned above her head, she was moved into a laying position across his workspace. One of Aizen's knees forced its way in between her thighs, and he held himself over her. It was a compromising and extremely sexual position, and despite her quivering fear and apprehension, Noa shivered again, this time from excitement and pleasure.

"Shall I teach you otherwise?" Aizen asked again, hand coming down to caress along her cheek, down her neck and across her collarbone. He obviously liked her neck and shoulders best out of all her features, as that was the area where he payed the most attention. It also happened to be one of the most sensitive parts of Noa's body, and she thoroughly enjoyed everything he did to her there.

"Mmm," Noa moaned slightly as his lips captured hers, and she let him take control. In the back of her mind she wondered if she should be afraid of someone catching them, but those thoughts disappeared as Aizen's knee pressed against her roughly. She enjoyed this, being submissive and letting him take the dominate role. It fit...

And suddenly, he released her, moving away from her flushed body. Noa lay on the table, chest heaving, confused. _'What?'_

"See how it feels?" Aizen said, tone scolding and rough. "I think that's enough for today, Miss Ueshima."

Noa got off the desk, embarrassed and still aroused. She straightened her hair and clothes, and went back to her own work. Aizen straightened his tie and jacket, and sat at his own desk.

"We'll try again tomorrow, to see if you've learned anything from today. I am not a man to be taken lightly."

-0-


	18. Flying

**Thank you so much to:**

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**And to everyone who reads/watches/faves, thank you too. **

**I'm sorry this took so long, and that it's kinda short. I've been super busy with school and applying for colleges and stuff. And I've started watching Doctor Who...big mistake on my part, my life is kinda ruined now, ha ha...**

**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot, language, mentions of mature situations...  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: Also, do you like the new cover I made for this story?  
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**Enjoy.  
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><p>-0-<p>

The sun beamed in through the window, hitting Noa full in the face. She scrunched up her nose, mentally cursing herself for not shutting the curtain before she had fallen asleep. Sighing, she peeled her face off the pillow (_it was damp; had she been drooling?_), and rubbed her sore eyes. She hadn't gotten much sleep, but she had to go to work- even though she didn't want to.

Her stomach twisted as she rose and began her morning routine. After the incident the previous evening in Aizen's office, she had returned home and laid in bed thinking into the wee hours of the morning. The sleep had helped a bit, but her mind was still racing and anxiety threatened to well up once more.

Noa knew she hadn't done anything wrong- not in her eyes at least. She had just done a small favor for a fellow employee- no, one of her _superiors_. It wasn't her fault Aizen was jealous and possesive and sexually frustrated, was it?

_'No,'_ she decided firmly, buttoning her blouse and looking for her phone,_ 'It's not. He's just going to have to realize that. I'm not some object he can just throw around and use whenever he feels like it...'_

But he had succeeded in scaring her, and done it in such a way that she ended up desiring him as well. It was the way he was. Sōsuke Aizen was a powerful man who knew how to get people to listen to him, how to alter their perceptions of him and the world around him in a way that would benefit his interests. It was frightening and exciting, and Noa was slightly ashamed of herself for returning to him.

_'I'll give him a chance,'_ she told herself as she locked her door and headed down the stairs. _'But I won't let that happen again.'_

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

The building was as quiet as usual, absolutely no changes. Same marble floors, same pissy Loly, same huge wooden doors leading to Aizen's office. _'Same man behind them.'_

He was not alone, Noa discovered when she opened the door and stepped inside. Tousen and Ichimaru were there as well- Tousen standing stiffly next to the desk, Gin lounging in one of the chairs. Aizen looked up when Noa entered, and beckoned her forward.

"Don't bother sitting down or anything. We're being forced to leave."

Noa frowned, puzzled. "Sir?"

Aizen sighed, and gestured to his two associates. "Trust me, it wasn't my idea." Gin smirked and took a sip from an amber liquid in a glass he was holding, and Tousen nodded shortly.

"You haven't taken a vacation day in nearly three years, sir. You are quite overdue." Tousen turned to face his collegue. "It's only for a week, and Starrk and Barragan are more than capable of running the company in your absence."

"Completely unecessary, in my opinion," Aizen muttered, hand on his chin.

"We ain't askin' for your opinion, Cap'n," Gin said, taking another sip. "No arguin' neither."

Noa looked at each of the men, completely confused. "Excuse me, pardon my interruption, but, uh, what does this have to do with me?" So Aizen was going on a forced vacation; it wasn't like she couldn't survive here without him...

Aizen looked at her, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "You're going with me, Miss Ueshima."

Noa nearly dropped her briefcase. "Um, thank you, sir, but I really don't think that's necessary..."

"That's what I was saying..."

"I've already booked your flight," Tousen continued, ignoring Noa's cries of dismay and Aizen's monotonous tone. "It leaves this afternoon. The car will be waiting here at noon to take you to the airport."

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Aizen rose. "Very well. I suppose I have no choice."

"I can't go on vacation!" Noa said firmly. "I have work to do, and I don't even have the time for a vacation, not to mention the wardrobe-"

"We can take care of your work," Tousen assured her. "And if you give me your sizes and measurements, I can send someone to pick up clothes for you."

Noa sputtered, but could not find a loophole. Aizen looked at her in amusement.

"I think you need this more than me," he said, and walked around the desk. Patting her firmly on the shoulder, he stepped past her and towards the door. "Go home, tie up any loose ends, and meet me here at a quarter to noon."

Noa bit the inside of her lip and nodded, holding in all her arguments and dismayed reactions. "Yes, sir."

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

Storming back into her apartment, which she had left not even two hours earlier, Noa began searching for her necessities. She changed out of her work clothes into a simple jeans, shirt and cardigan combination, and found a bag to put her makeup and hair supplies into. She didn't bother with toiletries- Tousen had mentioned that all of that was being taken care of. _'Whatever that means.'_

Noa couldn't remember the last time she had taken a real vacation. She had never traveled far from the city, a couple hours away at the most, and even then she was with her parents or friends- not alone with a man she was sleeping with, a man who was ever more surely taking control of her life. _'Just what he wants, no doubt.'_

Picking up her phone, she left a message to both her mother and Shūhei in case either one inquired about her disappearance. She did not mention the true nature of the trip, nor who she was traveling with- just that she was away on a week-long "business trip".

_'Oh, you'll be up to a lot of 'business', I'm sure,'_her inner self said smirkingly, and Noa blushed and scowled. She made sure all her windows were shut and locked, and dropped her spare key off with a neighbor. Hoisting her bag, she called a cab from the corner and hopped inside when it arrived, simultaneously nervous and scared.

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

Aizen was waiting for her just like he had said. Like her, he had changed out of work attire into something more casual- namely, a white button-up and comfortable looking slacks. Noa dropped her small bag by the door, unsure of what to say.

"Tousen called ahead," Aizen said, staring at a paper in his hand, "And ordered clothes for you. They're over there." Noa looked in the direction he pointed, and noticed several bags sitting on a table. Going over to them, she inspected the contents, recognizing several brands. They were all beautifully crafted, and probably very expensive. There were no price tags, something she was both wary and grateful of. She folded each item carefully, and tucked them into a leather suitcase.

"May I ask where we are going?" She said, turning. Aizen had moved to the window, and was looking out over the grounds. She hoped it wasn't too exotic- she doubted she could handle much of that.

"South, I think," Aizen said. "Tousen wouldn't say, but he mentioned a more "Mediterranean" climate."

Noa nodded. That meant they weren't going too far- a few hours flight, at least. It was nearing summer, and now that she thought about it, spending a week away might be a good transition from the spring into the summer.

"I know you don't want to go," Aizen muttered, and Noa looked up at him. "And I know us going together has the potential of being interpreted badly." He turned to look at her, and smiled softly. "But perhaps this will be good for us. An enviroment for us to..._bond_, that doesn't have to do with work."

Noa's eyes softened, and she nodded. "Maybe." _'He has a point...'_

Aizen walked towards her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. Noa looked up at him, and twisted her head to side as they bent towards each other...

_-Knock knock knock! _

Noa jumped as someone banged on the door, scaring her. Aizen sighed and let go of her, calling out "Enter." A man bowed lowly and announced that their car was waiting downstairs, and that he'd take their luggage for them.

"Ready?" Aizen asked Noa as they went down in the elevator. Noa shrugged, unsure of what to say. Aizen chuckled to himself, and lead her out and towards the door.

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

The ride to the airport was a tedious one- apparently this driver was new and did not know the back ways yet. Aizen stared out of the window as they rolled leisurely down the freeway, the tinted windows giving him a clear view but blocking all others from seeing inside. Noa sat next to him, playing with the hem of her cardigan as she stared out her window. As cars swept past them, Aizen let himself remember what had transpired earlier, before Noa had arrived at the office.

_He stood in front of the window, looking out over the city. He hadn't left the office all night, his thoughts and his work keeping him there at his desk. It was nearing daybreak, and he was still there, still thinking._

_ Nearly all his thoughts revolved around Noa now, which was odd for him. He'd be thinking about something completely unrelated, and then they would stray, and she would be there somewhere. It was an unusual sensation, to have one person dominate most of his thinking, and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not._

_ For instance, he would look up and glance at her working area, and an image of her there, bent over her desk would appear. He had decided that he liked her neck and shoulders best out of all her physical features- her eyes were was magnetized him to her, but her neck was absolutely delicious. It was pale and soft, and he would trace where it met her jaw, and down into the hollows of her collarbone, and where her shoulders met with her collarbone. She was extremely sensitive there, he had discovered on the occasions they were "together". He could use anything, from his mouth to his hands and fingers, and if he caressed her there she would bite her lip and gasp beautifully. He had never been with a woman with such enticing reactions. Whether it was due to lack of attention there in the past or if she was just that sensitive, he didn't know or care. He just wanted to run his fingers down her neck and across her chest-_

_ "-Sir?" Aizen had turned to see Tousen entering the room, Gin behind him. Sighing, he returned to his desk and sat, wondering what they wanted._

_ "Ichimaru and I were talking," Tousen had said, stiff and polite in speaking as ever, "And we've come up with something that could possibly speed up this business with Miss Ueshima and the shareholding._

_ "Mmm," Aizen had replied, not really interested. It was important, yes, of course it was, but the incident earlier had given him a taste and now he wanted the whole thing. He wondered if she was still awake- she had seemed a little frightened..._

_ "We think you two should go on a vacation together," Gin interrupted. "I mean, neither of ya get much interaction beyond work, right? Perhaps ya need a trip, free from distractions. Whaddaya say, Cap'n?"_

_ Frowning, Aizen mulled it over. They had a point- both he and Noa were very dedicated to their work. He was the cog that kept the company running, and she was devoted to anything that made her useful. Weekends hadn't been very productive- they'd spend the night together, but one or both of them would be needed somewhere else in the morning. And their liaisons in the office had turned out to be disastrous at best, and they hadn't even been caught yet. Maybe a small break would do them good..._

_ "It would give you and ample opportunity to gain her trust and affections," Tousen continued. "I've done the calculations, and if this works out, we could have control of the Ueshima shares by this time next year."_

_ "Don't worry 'bout the company, we got tha' covered," Gin added. "Starrk's got the big stuff in tha' bag, and Barragan more than jumped at tha' opportunity to "be of assistance"."_

_ "She won't like it," Aizen muttered softly. "Especially if I suggest it..."_

_ "Then don't," Tousen said simply. "Act like you don't want to go either. I've got a back story set up- she knows how dedicated you are, sir. If we act like we're making you go, she'll have no choice when we suggest she's going as well."_

It was good idea, Aizen now realized as they finally neared the airport. The girl had fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker. All that was needed now was time- time for him to win her over. She was succeeding in dominating his thoughts; he wondered if he did the same to her.

"It's a private plane," he said suddenly, and Noa nodded, slightly in awe. "We have our own runway down here at the end as well. A lot of our employees fly on regular commercial flights, of course, but our top-tier employees get the luxury of a private experience." He watched as she stared out the window, biting her bottom lip and playing with a string on her shirt.

"Is something wrong?" He asked when he noticed the furrow between her brow. Noa shrugged, and laughed nervously as the car rolled to a stop next to a shiny, modern looking jet.

"Is it too late to mention I'm scared of flying?"

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

The flight wasn't as bad as she expected, Noa thought, as they stepped through the airport in the small coastal town they had landed in. It was beautiful town, she had discovered as they flew over- the buildings were old and made of prominently sandstone. The beaches were covered in white sands, and the water was a deep, clear blue. The buildings were rustic and lovely, and there was a nice mixture of traditional and modern décor. _'Tousen really knows his stuff...'_

"Nice, isn't it?" Aizen said, taking her hand and walking with her down the hallways towards the parking area (they had a car waiting for them apparently). Noa had tensed slightly, but he had explained that Tousen had picked a town where (conveniently) no one really knew or cared who they were. Back in the city, if he had so much as brushed her hand, the media would be hopping all over them. Here, though, they were safe.

Noa had often wondered exactly how much Tousen and Ichimaru knew about she and Aizen. It was supposed to be a secret, but then again, if they knew she figured they'd be okay. _'They work with Aizen. They must be good at keeping secrets.'_

They were driven through the downtown area by a tanned smiling fellow who chirped in a happy tone about what they were seeing and what could be seen later on. Aizen gently stroked Noa's palm as it laid on his thigh, and slowly, slowly, the memories of the previous night were fading away. _'Maybe he regrets it?'_

They were dropped off at a large and gorgeous beach-side hotel, where their bags were taken up to their suite and they were greeted by a host of smiling employees. They gave Noa flowers, which she blushingly accepted. They were lilies.

Their room was spacious and airy, with a large balcony and huge windows that let lots of light in. The sun was beginning to go down, however, and Noa gasped when she saw the colors streaking across the bay in front of her. She stood out on the balcony and watched the waves crash, the cool sea wind whipping her hair gently. "I take back everything negative I thought about this trip."

"Hmmm." She could feel his presence even before he touched her shoulder, and instinctively Noa leaned into him.

"It's such a pretty view," she whispered.

"Yes," he said huskily, but he wasn't looking at the sea. His dark eyes were gazing into her own lighter ones. Closing her eyes, she let him lead her back into the room, as the light from the sun faded on another day.


	19. Moonglow

**Thank you to:**

**ShaDow EmpIre (thank you!)**

**PirateNinjaV7 (I'm glad you like her)**

**KhAeL ( ;) I hope you like it)**

**Myra Cifer (Thanks!)**

**And to everyone who follows/favs/alerts as well.**

**I'm sorry this has taken so long, and that it's a little short as well.**

**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot, language, mentions of mature situations...  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: This chapter is a little more mature than the others have been, but it's nothing explicit.  
><strong>

**Please enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

"We've met before," Aizen says, voice low. Noa opens her eyes, slowly, and he watches her, propped above on his elbow. The moonlight streaming through the window makes her form glow in the gray silk sheet, and he traces the curve of her hip with his eyes.

He smiles at her drowsy, confused face. "Before all this, that is."

It takes her a while, but eventually he can see the dawn of realization appear in her eyes. "Yes."

"You were younger then," he continues. "I was twenty-three."

"And I was seventeen," she replies, arms shifting so her head rested on the smooth skin of her forearm, hair cascading over her bare shoulders. "It was..."

"At a party," Aizen murmurs. A gala, to be exact. He was still a part of the Gotei Division back then, albeit a distant part, the formation of the Las Noches Division still a year and a half away. Attending as department head of the Fifth Division, he hadn't paid much attention to the slight young woman in the navy dress, until they had bumped into each other in the courtyard outside of the hotel.

She had strayed, he had guessed, away from the watchful gaze of her parents in order to get some fresh air. They merely bumped shoulders near a fountain, but it had been long enough for him to see her eyes. It would take four years for it to sink in completely, but he never forgot her eyes.

His distant gaze is drawn downward, out of his reverie, as her cold fingers touched the skin around his own eyes.

"You wore glasses then," she says quietly. "I couldn't see your eyes through the glare. And before I could say anything, you strode away."

"Mmm," is all he replies, before he leans down and captures her lips once more. She leaned into his touch, letting him pull himself over her. It was either really late or really early, but neither of them cared. They had been in this strange, alien town for less than twenty-four hours, but it was affecting them in ways neither of them had expected. It was slight, subtle, and barely recognizable...but it was there.

Noa was completely naked, and she sighed as the silk was pulled from around her and her bare skin was kissed by the cool night air. Her hands traveled up and across Aizen's broad shoulders, to the back of his neck. She twisted her fingers into his soft hair as his body lead his mouth down her body, to the valley of creamy skin between her breasts and even lower from there. Soft sighs escaped her plump lips, and her body relaxed to take in the pleasure. Her mind was tense and alert, though, which was strange. She was usually ready to escape into the sensations, a kind of distance from the outside world, as his fingers and mouth and body explored unseen regions. Now, though, something stirred within her, and she opened her eyes and removed her hands from Aizen's head, and propped herself up on her elbows.

Aizen looked up from between her thighs, a confused look on his face. Words were caught in his throat as Noa placed her hands on his shoulders as he began to rise. He let her guide him onto his back, allowing her to climb up and over his body, coming to rest on his chest.

It was completely silent, save for the quiet hush of the breeze coming in through the open veranda door, and the distant roar of the sea in the background. The moon cast a silvery white light that seemed to catch in Noa's hair and on her skin, her eyes a dark, rich blue. _'Like the sea',_ Aizen thought somewhere in the back of his mind.

Then she began to move, to explore. She traced the curve of his brow and the arch of his nose, drug her fingers down his chin and into the hollow of his collarbone. She outlined his muscles and the prominent, pulsing veins within. Her head lowered, hair tickling his goose-prickled skin, and she pulled herself down his abdomen and between his legs, mirroring his own actions to her earlier.

Aizen's breathing quickened. He had been subject to this before, yes, but by women who he had expected this of. She touched him so carefully, so hesitantly, like she was handling something precious and sacred, and it was so, so quiet, except for his breath, and the roar of the sea in the distance. And then that roar began to echo, and it was in his head, and he grabbed her hair in his long fingers, and let her carry him through the rest of the night.

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

A world away, dawn broke in the city. The yellow clouds were reflected in the gleaming windows of the Las Noches Division as a black car pulled up in front of the building.

A door opened, and a woman with coppery hair stepped out. The world was barely brightening, but she wore a pair of wide sunglasses that hid her eyes. Her long, tan legs stepped away from the car, onto the stone courtyard in front of the building.

She looked up, to the highest office, and smirked, red lips curling. She knew exactly where to go.

"Nobu!" She called, looking over her shoulder. Her brows disappeared beneath her sunglasses in a frown, and she tapped her long, tapered nails against the perfectly form-fitted dress she wore. "Get out here, please!"

The second door of the car opened immediately, and a bespectacled man nearly fell trying to heed her summons. Stumbling towards her, Nobu glanced up at the building.

"Y-yes, madame?"

"Get my things," the woman said shortly. "Bring them up to the office, and then come back and park the car."

"Yes, m-madame..."

Looking disgusted at his stuttering, the woman turned away and sauntered towards the building. "Don't make me wait, Nobu!" Her long, straight hair billowed out behind her, a coppery shield that caught the rays of sun peeking through the clouds and shone brilliantly in the morning air. _'Yes,' _the woman thought smugly, as she began the ascent towards the Las Noches building. The few people there as early as she shied away from her impressive form, her aura exuding power and influence and initiative. She loved the feel of their eyes on her body, and discreetly caused her skirt to rise a few inches with every step. Her power lay in her body, and her ability and willingness to use it to her advantage. She was a living, walking weapon of beauty and intimidation, and she knew exactly what she was aiming for.

_'I'm coming, Sosuke...'_

-0-_  
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><p>-0-<p>

The sun cast warm rays into the hotel suite, and outside the murmurs of the days beginning roused Noa from her slumber. She stretched under the sheets, moving tangles of hair out from in front of her face and slowly sat up, blinking.

She had been curled up near the end of the bed, and she moved to let her legs dangle off the edge, toes barely touching the ground. Smiling for no real reason, she rubbed her eyes and yawned, enjoying the feel of the sun on her bare skin.

"Pleasant dreams?" Aizen appeared from the newly opened bathroom door, dressed only in a pair of light colored slacks. A towel was slung over one his shoulders, and steam billowed out from behind him as he walked towards Noa.

"I think so. If they were, I don't remember the details," Noa replied. Had she been dreaming? She must have. Her body and mind felt heavenly.

"That's unfortunate" Aizen said, sitting next to her on the bed. "I would have loved to hear them."

Noa shrugged. "Maybe next time." She pulled the sheets up around her breasts, and turned so that she was facing him. A look of shock immediately graced her previously calm features. "What happened to your skin?!"

She reached out to touch one of the reddish marks along his shoulders and down his chest. Aizen frowned as he watched her press one gingerly.

"You really don't remember? You did that, and quite a bit more, if I may add."

Noa's mouth gaped, and she clutched her hand to her chest as if she had been burned. "_I_ did that?"

Aizen nodded, and suddenly Noa remembered. Most of the details were blurry, but she remembered feeling a sense of power as she bent over his body. "I'm so sorry!"

Fighting the urge to laugh, Aizen rose from the bed, taking the towel from his shoulder and tossing it on a chair. "Why? I quite enjoyed it...and from your reactions you must have as well."

Blushing, Noa rose and went into the bathroom. 'This is so embarassing..! But he liked it...he liked it...' As she turned the shower on, she remembered back when she first slept with Aizen, and a sudden thought hit her. She opened the door and rushed at Aizen, who had his back turned to the door.

"T-this is revenge for that first time!" She said, wrapping her arms around his stomach and pressing her breasts into his bare back. "Now we're even."

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

The rest of the morning went by smoothly. The couple eventually made their way downstairs, where they ate a light meal in the hotel's cafe. Afterwords, they left the building and set out for the beach.

"The weather is so nice here," Noa said, looking up at the clear sky. She wore a pair of (intentionally) frayed shorts and a blue top, over which she donned a light gray cardigan. "Not too hot, but not too chilly either."

"One of the reasons it's popular with tourists from the city," Aizen replied. He wore an ivory button up over a dark gray shirt, along with the slacks from earlier. "It's the off season, though, which is why everything is so quiet.

"I like quiet," Noa mentioned. "I'm not a big fan of crowded streets."

"Me too."

The beach was beautiful, but they did not spend much time there, as neither of them were fans of swimming. Instead, they walked along the top of the sand, and scoped out several historical sites and museum attractions. Art galleries were abundant, as were local jewelers and other merchants. It was obviously a destination that the wealthier tourists of the world frequented, as the prices were far above what the average consumer would be willing to pay. They didn't buy anything, however, as neither of them felt like carrying it around.

"Do you like aquariums?" Aizen asked Noa as they neared the end of the beach. Ahead of them, a large, modern looking building loomed out over the rest of the sand and a few hundred feets over the water as well.

"Actually, I do," Noa admitted. "My favorite animals are...well, nevermind," she cut off, embarrassed.

"Are what?" Aizen prompted her. Noa shrugged, and laughed.

"I really like jellies," she said, cheeks a light pink. "I used to get made fun in grade school for it."

Aizen smiled- not a smirk, but a true smile. Noa's heart jumped a little when she saw it, although she noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes.

He led her to the front of the building, and Noa saw that it was in fact an aquarium. "It's closed, though" she noticed, saddened. "They must close it in the off season."

"Don't worry about that," Aizen said, and pulled on one of the glass doors. Noa followed him hesitantly, but her doubts were squashed when an elderly man with a white beard came out of an office and recognized Aizen by name. It turned out that the Las Noches Division had helped fund the building of this aquarium a few years back, for a charity event. The man was the head of the place, and he gave them full use of the facilities.

When Aizen mentioned Noa's affection for jellies, the man laughed and lead them to an area below the first floor. The room was a deep dark blue, save for the gently pulsating pink and orange and white creatures floating serenely behind the glass. Noa sighed happily as she plopped down on the circular cushioned chairs in the middle of the jelly room, and watched.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

Watching her from behind, Aizen leaned against the far wall and crossed his arms. Something had changed back in that hotel room between them. They had both been hesitant on the first hours of the trip, but all the stress and cares of the city had been left behind them. It was something new, something alien, and although it wasn't necessarily bad, it also wasn't him.

As he watched her, Aizen knew that this would not last. Sooner than later, everything she was experiencing now would be nothing more than a bitter, tainted memory, where she would doubt everything that had happened.

_'It's what has to happen,' _he told himself._ 'She is just the first step in securing my future. I'm only doing this because it helps me get what I want that much quicker.' _Those thoughts sat heavy on his mind, though, even after they left the aquarium and returned to the hotel.

Something was changing, and for the first time in his life, Aizen had the feeling that it could ruin him just as it would ruin her.

-0-

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><p>-0-<p> 


	20. Back to Black

**Thank you to:**

**The Dark Heroine _(Wow, thanks so much!)_  
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**Sweetheart1995 _(Heh, thanks. You're a fast reader.)_  
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**skipbeataddict _(I appreciate that a lot. It's something I feel like I struggle with, so thanks!)_  
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**anonMooer _(Sorry for making you wait an eternity, and thanks!)_  
><strong>

**KhAeL_ (He is, isn't he?)_**

**safa56bmc_ (I know, right? What a meanie.)_**

**_ShaDow Empire (Basically, he doesn't want to get married, and neither does Noa. Neither of really think the other is their type at the moment, and Aizen is in this for her inheritance, and she is in this as a experiment, a challenge to herself. I don't want to give it all away here, but if anyone wants a better explanation, just say so! I'm sorry if it's super unclear.)_**

**And to everyone who follows/favs/alerts as well.**

**I'm super sorry this has taken me almost eight months to update this. I've just been super busy with starting college, and I will admit I've been lacking motivation. Sometimes I get really frustrated with myself, and I feel like I'm not writing well enough, if that makes sense. I'm truly sorry, because there's tons of you who like this story, and it's not fair that I take so long! I will try to go faster, but no promises.  
><strong>

**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot, language, mentions of mature situations.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: Also, since it's been so long, is anyone still interested in the story? I understand if you've completely given up on me, but it'd be nice to know. I'm also trying out this thing where I reply to EVERY review, so please don't hesitate to say anything!  
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**Please enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Aizen received a phone call and excused himself from Noa's presence. She took the time away from him to walk around the shopping area near the hotel.<p>

It was nothing like the huge malls and outlet stores back in the city. Everything in the stalls here looked hand-crafted and homemade, with the locals sitting in folding chairs underneath wide umbrellas, chatting as the few tourists browsed their wares. Noa wasn't much of a shopper, so she took her time and wandered through the maze of wooden carts and brightly painted store-fronts.

_'Maybe I should buy Aizen something,'_ she mused, while inspecting a local's selection of natural lotions and bath salts. _'What do I get for the man who has everything, though?'_

Noa had a terrible sense of gifting. She hardly ever bought something for someone without doing extensive research, and that proved so exhausting she rarely did it in the first place. Whenever the holidays or birthday's came around, she either gave money or nothing at all.

_'Well, I doubt he'd want lotion,'_ Noa smiled. To avoid feeling guilty she purchased a small jar of rose-scented bath salts, and wandered away from the center of the marketplace.

"Have something in mind, child?" A hoarse voice croaked from the left. Noa paused and peered down at a tanned old woman in a wide straw hat, sitting in front of a booth covered in tiny statues and figurines.

"Oh, no, um..." Noa stuttered, pretending to look at the woman's wares. She hadn't realized she was lingering in front of the stall. _'Great, now I have to buy something...'_

"Looking for something in particular?" The woman rasped, leaning forward to gesture to the wide variety of goods. "I have all kinds of talismans and totems, perfect for protection, wealth, and fertility." On the last word, she lifted a pair of statues, one endowed with a large phallus, the other, with enormous breasts. "These too are especially effective, and quite popular."

Noa blushed. The last thing she needed was a fertility charm. "Um, no, not really. Well, I was thinking about getting something for my...friend, but I have no idea what." No matter how intimate they were together, Noa still hesitated on calling Aizen her 'boyfriend' or 'lover'. Neither sat very well in her mouth. She wasn't particularly sure how he categorized it either.

"How about a charm to bring great wealth?" The woman held up a tree-shaped figurine covered in local coins.

"No, he definitely does not need that," Noa shook her head. She said no to the protection charm, and the fertility talisman as well.

The woman sat back in her chair, determined to sell Noa something."Well, I do have this," she murmured, rummaging underneath the table. She pulled out a dusty talisman made of coral, styled in an intricate knot pattern. "It was made by a member of the local indigenous tribe. Coral is sacred to them, and the knotted pattern is supposed to bring longevity and clear-mindedness. It was a symbol for their leaders, to ensure a long reign and wise decisions." She held it out, offering it to her potential customer.

Noa took it, turning it over and studying it. It was pretty, in an odd, unique way. Wiping away the dust revealed a rich red color, and the pattern was smooth and flowing. _'The symbolism is interesting too. Platonic enough for my tastes, and hopefully his as well.'_

"I'll take it," she smiled.

-0-

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><p>-0-<p>

It was getting dark, and the shops were beginning to close, so Noa decided to head back. Her purchases were nestled within a tote bag, and she wondered if Aizen would like his gift. She didn't have much experience with presents- she was used to receiving them, not giving them.

_'I sound like a spoiled brat,'_ she mused. She supposed that growing up as an only child with affluent parents might have made her seemed entitled and snobby to some people, but she hoped that wasn't the case. Admittedly she was pampered, but her father had always informed her of the importance of hard work, and doing things on your own. Noa remembered him saying that respect was something you should earn, not inherit, and she took that to heart. Her mother was a bit more extravagant, but Noa knew Etsuko's heart was in the right place.

The hotel they were staying at was gorgeous in the evening light. The lanterns gave off a soft glow, and the sandstone walls looked warm and inviting. _'If all vacations are like this, then maybe I should go on more.'_

"Miss Ueshima?" A voice called as she entered the main lobby. One of the receptionists smiled at her when she walked over. "Sosuke Aizen left a note. He would like you to meet him in the hotel restaurant for dinner." Noa smiled softly, and thanked the woman.

The restaurant was attached to the bottom floor of the hotel, and was partially open to the ocean-side view. The huge ceiling arched over the scattered tables, casting long shadows in the rafters. The tables were lit with small candles, and were set with some of the most beautiful china Noa had ever seen. There were quite a few guests in the restaurant for dinner, but Noa spotted Aizen near the edge of the room, at a private table set for two.

"Good evening," he greeted her, setting down a wine glass he had been drinking from. Noa sat herself in the chair opposite him, and thanked a waiter who had been waiting to fill her own glass. "Did you go far?"

"Not really," Noa shrugged. "Just down the street. I lost track of time quickly, and before I knew it, the sun was going down." Aizen nodded, and Noa got the feeling he was distracted by something.

"I'm sorry you couldn't come," she continued, trying to keep the conversation going. "The shops were quite lively, and had a lot of local wares. It was interesting, very different from the city."

"You like it here?" Aizen asked her, and Noa smiled.

"Yes, actually. The scenery is beautiful, and the people are so nice." Noa picked up her glass, and turned it in her hand. The light from the setting sun made the ruby liquid inside glow. "I don't think I'd want to live here, though, not permanently at least," she continued., taking a sip from her glass. "It's nice here, but it's not the same as the city."

Raising one elegant brow, Aizen smirked. "Really? Forgive me, but I always assumed you were more of a secluded person." Noa shrugged, and smiled.

"I am, but that's why I prefer the city. I don't stand out in a huge crowd, and I can live my life alongside the thousands of others going on around me," she said. "If I lived here, the things I did would be visible to anyone who noticed. It's not as private."

"I agree," Aizen replied, before they were interrupted by the returning waiter. He took their orders, and then left the table in a hushed silence.

Noa looked out over the sand to the water, and admired the colors of the sun on the water. "It is nice being here now, though," she said softly.

Aizen paused, and then slowly placed his glass on the table. "I got you something," he said suddenly, reaching inside his jacket and taking out a small box. Noa suddenly remembered her gift as well.

"Oh! So did I," she said, grabbing her bag, and pulling out the small figurine wrapped in brown paper. "Uh, you go first, though..." she said, suddenly shy.

With a small smile, Aizen slid the box across the table. "I had it specially made, a commission from a famous local artist." Noa took the box, and pulled off the top. Inside, nestled in soft wool, was a silver necklace. The chain was thin and dainty, and hanging off the center was a beautifully polished pendant in the oh so familiar pinwheel shape of an oleander blossom. It was a simple piece of jewelry, but so beautiful that it took Noa's breath away.

"It's gorgeous," she breathed, carefully picking it up. It caught the light from the candles on the tables, making the silver look like polished bronze. "Thank you."

Aizen rose, and moved behind her. He took the chain from her hands, and gently fastened it around her neck. Noa closed her eyes as his long fingers brushed against her throat and the back of her neck, the slight weight of the pendant nestled just above her breasts.

"My gift was made by a local artist as well," she said after Aizen had returned to his seat. "It's definitely not as nice as yours," she said, heart sinking slightly._ 'I can't believe I got him a figurine, I feel so stupid...' _She handed the wrapped package to him, and prepared to slide herself underneath the table.

He seemed to take forever to unwrap it, and when it was finally out of the paper he turned over in his hand in interest. "What is it?" He asked, seemingly amused. "A paperweight?"

"No," Noa said. "It's a talisman. It's supposed to give you a long life and help you make good decisions." Aizen looked at her with a glimmer of humor in his eyes.

"How interesting," he said, placing it next to his plate. "Thank you."

Noa sighed. "I'm really bad at gift-giving, okay?"

Frowning, Aizen glanced at the gift. "I'm being serious. I...appreciate the sentiment. I don't receive gifts that often."

"Really?" Noa asked. "I thought all the higher-ups received gifts all the time. A gesture of goodwill maybe, or an incentive." She remembered her father bringing home gifts from his associates to his family- candy for Noa, flowers or jewelry for her mother. She didn't understand why people she had never met or barely knew were sending her things, until her father explained it was a part of being in business.

Aizen tipped his glass towards her. "Well, you're not wrong. But eventually there's a point where frivolities just don't make an impression anymore. I am far more appreciative of actual work of substance than I am of trinkets and word of mouth."

"I can understand that," Noa decided. "I've heard that bribery doesn't get very far in the corporation."

"It doesn't," Aizen nodded. "Not even in the Gotei Division, soft as many of the heads may be. Besides, I can be very..." he paused, taking a sip from his glass, "...persuasive. I don't like to stoop to bribery."

Their food arrived as he finished his sentence, and the two of them ate in silence. Noa was far hungrier than she had realized- she hadn't eaten since around noon. They finished rather quickly, and Noa followed Aizen as he stood and left the restaurant.

"I didn't want to bring it up during dinner," Aizen said quietly as they rode the elevator back up to their room, "But I'm afraid our forced vacation is ending tomorrow. We're leaving on the mid-morning flight back to the city tomorrow."

Slightly disappointed, Noa frowned. "Why? Has something happened?" _'I thought we were staying for a week.'_

"Yes, actually," Aizen muttered. "There's been an...incident. Gin called me this morning, and I'm afraid it's something I have to deal with immediately.

"I see," Noa said softly. She was curious as to what it could be, and also curious about why he wasn't telling her. He had been surprisingly honest with her so far, or as so far as she could tell. There was always the suspicion he wasn't always one hundred percent truthful, a slight tinge to his words that made it seem like he was testing her, but she decided not to push it. Besides, she didn't really mind returning to the city. The vacation had been nice, but there was something fake about it she didn't like. It did feel forced, like Aizen had mentioned.

"It's not anything serious, is it?" Noa asked carefully. She doubted he would tell her much, which was understandable, but she still wanted to know.

Shaking his head, Aizen unbuttoned his shirt. In the dim light the muscles of his back were defined in shadows, and as he moved they rippled smoothly underneath the supple skin. It was one thing Noa admired about his body. His shoulders and back were broad, and he moved with a grace that suggested he knew how to use his body, in more ways than one.

"Not serious, no." Aizen through his shirt over a chair, and sat on the bed to remove his shoes and pants. "Not in the sense that it threatens anything. It's more of an...annoyance, one that needs to be taken care of sooner rather than later, I'm afraid."

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

Earlier that day, as Noa left to go to the market, Aizen received a phone call from Tousen. He was slightly surprised when he saw the man's name on the caller id, as he was under the impression that he would not be contacted by anyone from the company while away. It also raised an alarm- if it was Gin calling, he would not be as concerned, but since it was Tousen, who was more no-nonsense than Gin, it made him pick it up immediately.

"There's been an...incident," Tousen said as soon as Aizen answered. "Nothing serious, but I think you'd like to know."

"What is it?" Aizen demanded.

"Ichimaru was supposed to take care of your meetings this morning," Tousen replied. "He called me shortly after he arrived to tell me someone was in your office."

Aizen frowned. "What do you mean someone was in my office? Was Loly there? Menoly?"

"They arrived shortly after Ichimaru did," Tousen continued. "I talked to them, and both of them said that no one had made any appointments that early, and that the person in there was not supposed to be there. In fact, we have no idea how she even got in-"

"Wait, 'she'?" Aizen interrupted. "Who is it, Tousen?"

There was a pause. "It's Vittoria. She was sitting in your chair. Apparently she thought you were going to be the first one in your office, and proceeded to swear at Ichimaru as soon as he entered. She refuses to leave the premises until you arrive."

Sighing heavily, Aizen pinched the bridge of his nose. "I see..."

"There's more, sir. We tried to get her to leave, but she says she has business with you. Specifically...she's claiming the two of you are still..._associated_ with each other." The way Tousen said that last sentence made Aizen very suspicious.

He hadn't had any contact with Vittoria in over two years, not after he had broken off their short-lived fling after he caught her trying to manipulate company payroll rosters. She was a powerful woman, the offspring of two very powerful families, and knew exactly who and what to play to get what she wanted. Aizen didn't have any idea of what she could be after now, but whatever it was, it wasn't a chat over a cup of tea. She definitely had some sort of ulterior motive.

"I understand. Book the next flight out of here, and I will be back tomorrow evening," Aizen ordered. "In the meantime, occupy our guest so that she does not leave the top offices. Keep the rest of the staff away as much as possible."

"Loly is going to throw a fit," Tousen said mildly.

"Loly can handle it," Aizen said briskly. "Thank you for calling me."

He ended the call, and let out another sigh. He hadn't anticipated an outside distraction like this. _'Foolish of me.'_

Part of his was hesitant to leave the idle seaside town. Part of him enjoyed the quiet hush of the town, and the time he was spending with Noa. He knew she was hesitant about everything, which was natural, but he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the nights spent with her under the sheets. He could still feel her body cradled in his, her hair ghosting silently over his face and chest. Times like these would be few and far-between once they returned to the city, especially with the added distraction Vittoria brought.

But another part of his was ready to get back into action. He knew where he truly belonged, and it was at the head of the greatest company this side of the globe. He had complete control in that position, and while the vacation was admittedly nice, he did not like having little control from where he was. Hearing about problems like these second-hand irked him in a way he did not like. He wanted to go in, clean up the messes that were piling up, until everything was working right again.

Beside, after last night he realized he was becoming far too attached to Noa. She was becoming more than a tool to a greater means, more than an asset, more than sex. He needed to distance himself from her for a while, change things so that she came to him instead of he to her. It would be easier that way.


	21. In Vein

**I apologize that I haven't updated this since...September. Between work and school, I have had very little time for writing. However, it's now the last week, and this story is my first priority. I'm going to try very hard to keep going with it.**

**Thank you so very much to:**

**littlevamp**

**VampireSiren**

**safa56bmc**

**Periphona**

**Eternal Cat Moon**

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**FrenziClara**

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**Sofia**

**And to everyone who favs and alerts. I truly appreciate it.**

**Warnings: Slight OOC'ness, AU plot**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: There may or may not be discrepancies. I still need to go back and make sure everything's matching up.**

**Please enjoy.**

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

They arrived in the city in the earliest hours of the morning. The moon peeked from behind the occasional cloud as Noa shuffled sleepily off the tarmac into the car waiting for her and Aizen. They had left that summery paradise as soon as the sun had peeked over the horizon, and the flight had taken the majority of the day.

Noa hadn't been able to sleep on the plane until about an hour ago, and she was still exhausted. Leaning against the leather seats of the car, she watched the lights of the city flash by the windows, willing herself to stay awake until she got home. Aizen sat next to her, just as silent as she was. The glowing light from his phone cast a dim blue light over his features, and although he didn't look it, Noa suspected he was just as tired as she was.

She still wasn't quite sure what exactly had caused him to cut their vacation short, but Noa was secretly glad. The seaside villa was gorgeous and she more than enjoyed what time she had spent there, but she was eager to get back into her regular schedule. She had things to do and there was work that needed to be done.

_'And I'm starting to forget I'm supposed to be trying to get away from him,'_ Noa reminded herself. She could feel herself changing, and she was afraid. She didn't want to get so caught up in whatever ideas she may have about Aizen and forget herself, and her own wants and needs. _'I neither want him nor need him,_' she told herself, but as always, something inside her made her doubt her own sincerity.

Thankfully, her thoughts were cut short as they pulled up outside of her apartment complex. Trying to cover a yawn, she got out and thanked the driver as he pulled her luggage out of the trunk and set it on the sidewalk. The streetlamp that lit the area flickered as she stood for a moment, collecting herself and her things.

"Shall I walk you to your place?" His quiet voice made Noa look over. She shook her head.

"No, thank you. I've got it."

Aizen nodded, not really looking at her. He seemed far away, or more far away than usual, like he wasn't really paying attention to what was going on in that moment. Noa stepped to his side and placed a soft kiss on the side of his mouth, her hand placed delicately on his broad shoulder.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "For the trip."

He finally turned to look at her. He seemed dazed, like he only just registered that she was standing there with him. The faintest hint of a smile danced on the edge of his lips, but he didn't kiss her. Aizen brought his hand up to brush a strand of hair to the side of Noa's face.

"You're welcome."

With that, Noa grasped the handles of her suitcases and walked towards the stairs. In the background she could hear the doors of the car shut and then the motor of the car as it drove off into the heart of the city.

The inside of her apartment was cold when Noa entered. Shivering slightly, she didn't even bother turning on the lights and merely made her way into her bedroom. Kicking off her shoes and stripping down into her underwear, she collapsed into her bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

An irritating buzzing sound woke Noa only a few hours later. The sun peeked in through the gaps in her curtains, making her wince when she opened her eyes. The buzzing noise seemed to be coming somewhere underneath her, and she probed through her sheets sleepily until she found her phone.

It was a missed call, from an unknown number. Noa was about to ignore it and go back to sleep until the icon indicating that there was a new voice mail showed up. She put the phone to her ear lazily as she closed her eyes.

"Ah, yes, hello darling! It's me, Ayako! I was just calling to inform you that the wedding got moved up – it's a long story, but it's next Friday. Less than a week from now, can you _believe_ it? Anyways, let me know if you can still make it – I know you have your work, but it wouldn't be the same if you weren't there. Love you to bits, No!"

With a sigh, Noa dropped her phone onto her bed and rubbed her eyes. Ayako Nishimura was her best friend from University. They had been roomed together their first year, and had lived with each other the rest of the years as well. She was a bright, fast-paced person, and entirely obsessed with image, those of herself and others, but she was a genuinely good person and Noa was happy she was in her life. She had gotten engaged to a man named Youta, heir to the Matsuoka fortune, last spring, and their wedding had been scheduled for the end of fall. Noa had been offered the position of bridesmaid, but respectfully declined. She loved Ayako, but figured her cousins and other friends would be happier with one of those positions.

"I wonder if I can get that day off," she muttered to herself. Aizen seemed distracted enough, but it was short notice, after all.

Picking up her phone, she dialed Ayako. _'I'll see what I can do...'_

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

Aizen had barely stepped into his apartment before it was time to head to the office. He had showered and changed into more suitable clothing before rushing out the door. He usually arrived to work early, but this was really early, even for him. The first few employees were barely trickeling into the building when he walked in.

Loly and Menoli were already at their desks when he got to the top floor. Both Tousen and Gin didn't seem to be in yet. _'That's fine,'_ Aizen thought, straightening his tie as he walked towards his doors. _'I'll get this problem sorted out before they even arrive.'_

Loly looked up as Aizen as he passed her desk. "She finally left your office, sir. I've scheduled her for seven." she called. Aizen nodded, opening his doors.

"Make some tea, will you?" He called, before shutting the door solidly. Going to his desk, he noticed it was only fifteen minutes until seven. _'She's never been one to be late, either. Good. Let's get this over with.'_

And like clockwork, a slow knock tapped on his door almost exactly as his watch hit seven.

"Enter."

The door swung open to reveal a tall woman with long, golden-brown hair. Her sun-kissed skin shone in the low lights of Aizen's office, and as she waltzed towards him, she removed her sunglasses to reveal shiny green eyes.

"Sousuke," she cooed, settling into one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. "It's lovely to see you."

"Likewise, Vittoria," Aizen said cordially. "What brings you here today? Business, I'm sure."

She smiled, her catlike features widening in a pleased expression. Vittoria knew he was trying to get her out of her as soon as possible, and it was obvious she was not going to have it.

"Oh, Sousuke. It's always business with you. Can't an old friend stop by to see how you're doing?"

"You know better than anyone that I don't have friends, Vittoria. You said it yourself once, didn't you? 'Accomplices, is more like it,' you said."

She laughed, a rich, bell-like sound. "Ahaha, that's right, isn't it? I'd forgotten. But then again, we weren't exactly friends." She gazed at him through thick lashes. "No, we were much closer than that." Aizen was silent.

Cocking her head, she tapped the arm of the leather chair with pointed nails. "You remember, don't you Sousuke?"

"Of course," Aizen said dryly. "I also remember the reason it ended as well, or have you forgotten?"

Vittoria shrugged, white teeth peeking through her lips. "Details, details. I'm all about the big picture, darling."

Aizen hated when she called him that. The way it left her lips made it sound like she had laid claim to him, that she had some intimate connection with him.

"Stop beating around the bush," Aizen said firmly. "I got a call yesterday saying you had broken into my office. You can either tell me why, and why you're here, or I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Vittoria laughed again. "I'd hardly call it breaking in." Leaning forward, a hungry look appeared in her eyes. "I've missed you terribly, Sousuke."

"Really? Missed me, or my assets?" Aizen asked dryly. "You should know by now that I have no interest in you, Vittoria. Not anymore."

"But you did, once." Aizen didn't answer.

"So close, in fact, that there were rumors that we would be married," Vittoria continued. "I almost believed it myself, more than once. And I think you did too."

"I had no such beliefs. And those who did were fools," Aizen replied.

"No matter how hard you try to deny it, you cannot just erase memories like those overnight. It was barely two years ago. Don't tell me you don't think about it. About what could still be." Vittoria smiled again. "I can tell when you're lying."

Suddenly, miraculously, a the door opened. To Aizen's surprise, however, it was neither Gin nor Tousen, but Noa. Who looked horrified, by the way.

"Oh, my apologies!" She said hastily. "Loly didn't mention you had a visitor-"

"It's quite alright," Aizen said, waving her in. "Vittoria was just leaving."

Vittoria merely smirked. Standing, she walked towards the door. "Think about what I said, darling." When she got to Noa, who had stepped to the side to let her exit, she paused, looking her up and down. Her eyes narrowed.

"My, how your tastes have changed, Sousuke." And with that, she was gone.

Noa looked from the door to her boss, a bewildered look on her face. "Ah, excuse my intrusion..."

"Do you need something?" Aizen asked, pulling a folder to him. "It's Saturday. You don't have to work today, and I'm sure you're tired."

Looking uncomfortable, like she knew she had stumbled into a strange situation, Noa shrugged. "I know. I just had to ask you for next Friday off. My best friend's wedding got moved up. I know it's short notice and all, but I was really hoping-"

"Approved," Aizen said briskly. "And if that's all..." Noa winced visibly.

"Yes, sir. Have a good day, sir." She left quietly.

He almost felt a little sorry for her. He had let his encounter with Vittoria sour what little amicable mood he had. That, coupled with a lack of sleep and conflicting interests when it concerned Noa led to him having very little patience.

Pressing a button on his phone, he paged Menoli. "Tea," he ordered.

-0-

* * *

><p>-0-<p>

Noa stood outside Aizen's closed door, unsure of what exactly had transpired in that short time. From the intimidating and exotic looking woman to Aizen's cold dismissal, she felt more than a little flummoxed.

"Did you see her?" A voice called. Looking up, Noa saw Loly looking at her from over the edge of her desk.

"See her...? You mean that woman?" Noa asked, going closer. She and Loly were nowhere near friends, but she was curious.

Loly grimaced. "Yes, that _woman_. Vittoria Celine Dominga Azucena-Kobayashi. Even her name is horrendous. Do you know who she is?" Noa shrugged.

Rolling her eyes, Loly sighed. "She's one of _his_," she pointed to Aizen's office, "Ex's. Only she was a lot more than just your run of the mill girlfriend. She practically_ lived_ here while she was with him."

Noa's stomach sank. "Oh."

_'That must be the reason we came back so early.'_

"Why did they split?" Noa asked.

"No one really knows," Loly shrugged. "The biggest theory was that he caught her trying to steal from the corporation. Others says she cheated on him, or that he just got bored of her."

Noa nodded, then paused. "Wait, why are you telling me this?"

Loly frowned. "Look. I don't like you, but I _hate_ her. And if she's back, then she's got something planned, and I'll bet it's not something we want to deal with. I work for Aizen, and so do you, and it's our job to make sure _problems_ like Vittoria don't ruin things."

Noa had to give Loly credit. She was brash and rude, but she was solid in her convictions. Noa respected that.

"Agreed," she said. "So what do we do?"


	22. Good Enough

**Thank you to:**

**Sofia**

**EphemeralDream8**

**ChocolateKittey**

**Tictacmeowmeow**

**WorldPeaceMan (thank you!)**

**and Guest**

**And to everyone who favs/alerts. I appreciate it.**

**Warnings: OOC'ness, AU plot, mature situations**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: I feel like the way I'm writing Aizen is getting too out of character. I'm going to try to bring it back a bit. This is an AU, but there's only so far you can stretch characters before they become unbelievable. Let me know what you think.**

**Please enjoy.**

-0-

For what must have been the millionth time, Noa checked her appearance in the mirror. She hadn't been to many weddings in her life, and wasn't sure if she was dressed appropriately. Ayako had said the wedding still had a fall theme, but she wasn't sure if the navy blue floor-length dress she was wearing was right. She knew Ayako wouldn't care what she wore, but Noa would be there representing her family. It was important that she looked presentable.

Finally deciding that it would have to do, Noa grabbed her clutch and left her apartment. The wedding was scheduled for late afternoon and the reception was supposed to go on until the early hours of the morning. She had slept in late and had been drinking coffee all morning, but Noa still doubted she would stay until the end of the celebration. She hadn't been feeling herself lately, and while she was happy for her friend, she knew the only reason she was going was because it was Ayako. If it had been anyone else, she would have declined the invitation.

She blamed the way she was feeling on Aizen. Her life had been flipped on its edge since she had met him, and she knew that letting him get to her had a big effect on her mood. Even as she told herself this, however, she knew it was unfair of her to place the blame solely on him. She was the one who her feelings get in the way of her job and her responsibilities, and even though she kept telling herself she was playing along, Noa knew that she had feelings for the man deep inside her.

The past week of work had been hard. Whatever pleasure that had been left over from the mini-vacation were all but gone. Being around Aizen was awkward, even more than usual. He had all but ignored her, and they only spoke when absolutely needed. What was left unsaid, however, she was feeling inside herself. Whenever she thought about him, she felt lightheaded and confused. Part of it stemmed from not knowing how exactly he felt about her. Part of it was how caught up in him she became when she was around him. And another part of her still wondered who exactly he was. She was sure she wasn't the only person who could tell that the man on the outside was not the same as the one hidden within.

The matter of that woman who was in the office was another enigma. Loly had said that Vittoria and Aizen used to be together, and Noa wondered if she wanted to be back together with him. She hadn't heard much of their conversation, but she didn't like how Vittoria had looked at her, like she _knew_.

And what if Aizen was interested in getting back together with Vittoria? The woman was beautiful, like a model or actress. Noa knew she could not compete with that. And although she had been telling herself all along that she and Aizen were barely even together, she didn't like the idea of being tossed to the side.

As she descended the stairs of her building, she sighed. _'What am I doing? I should just relax and focus on today. It's my best friend's wedding! I should be happier.'_

She had called a cab earlier (she wasn't thrilled by all the expenses she had been dishing out lately, but it couldn't be helped) and it was waiting for her by the curb. The wedding was taking place at Youta's family estate, high up in the mountains on the outskirts of the city. She gave the driver the directions, and settled in for the drive. Her mother would be there, as would many acquaintances from her university days, no doubt. She wasn't one for sentimentality, but it would be nice to do some catching up, she supposed. And maybe it would allow her to clear her mind.

-0-

Despite all the coffee, Noa found herself dozing off several times during the trip to the wedding. She was thankful when they finally arrived, having forced herself awake for the third time. Thanking and paying the driver, she stepped out of the cab and stood in awe of the venue.

She had heard the Matsuoka family had a big estate, but she wasn't expecting the grandeur she was seeing now. Lavish gardens filled with flowers and trees surrounded the gargantuan house. People milled about everywhere, slowly making their way through the snaking garden paths or heading up to the house itself. The surrounding area itself was beautiful as well, with large trees providing much-needed shade in the late summer heat. Lights were strung about everywhere, and wedding workers bustled about making sure everything was in place. It was all very extravagant and _very_ Ayako. _'No doubt she had a huge hand in planning this.'_

She made her way to the gates to the large estate, where ushers waited with lists of guests and security stood vigilant. Noa wasn't surprised – apparently a lot of big-name weddings hired security to keep the press away. Of course there would be reporters inside, but only those officially sanctioned by the families of the bride and groom. There would be no fluff magazine journalists at this wedding, that was a given.

She gave her name to the usher on the left, who shuffled down his list to the 'U's'. "Ah, yes. Welcome, Miss Ueshima. Your mother asked me to tell you to meet her in the foyer, just inside the house." Noa nodded, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She loved her mother, but who knows what the woman would say when she saw her. Etsuko was one of the people Noa knew would give her opinion on her appearance, good or bad. Most likely bad.

She did not recognize many people as she walked towards the house. Many of the guests were far older than she, businessmen and women and their families. Which was just as good, she supposed. If she didn't know them, they most likely didn't know her, which saved her the act of putting on her good face and approaching them. _'So many people...'_

Thankfully, there were less people inside the house. She could smell food being cooked in the kitchens, and she kept her eyes peeled for the chance of a waiter carrying an hors d'oeuvre tray. It was decorated much like the outside was as well, with flowers and strings of lights.

Looking around, she spotted her mother with a group of women, all holding thin glasses of champagne and laughing. Steeling herself with a smile, she approached the group as if they were sharks waiting for the scent of blood.

"Oh, there you are!" Her mother admonished as she spotted her daughter coming forth, and kissed her cheeks delicately. "I was beginning to think you had gotten cold feet!" The ladies around them giggled, and Noa managed a small smile.

"It's not my wedding, mother."

"Not yet," her mother sighed, and the ladies laughed again.

"You look lovely, Noa," one of the ladies offered, and Noa thanked her. Her mother raised a brow, looking her up and down. Slightly afraid of what she might have to say, she pursed her lips.

Letting out a sigh, Etsuko fussed with Noa's fringe before stepping back. "You're letting your hair grow out, love. I'm glad you left it down for once. And navy is a good color on you."

Surprised, but not willing to push it, Noa shrugged and cleared her throat. "Um, do you know if I can see Ayako?"

Eyes brightening (her mother loved weddings), Etsuko gestured towards the stairs. "Yes, she was asking about you! She and the other girls are getting ready upstairs." Thanking her mother, Noa turned to the stairs.

"I still wish she would have been a bridesmaid," she could hear her mother lamenting to her friends, and she smiled.

The upper levels of the house were much quieter than downstairs. She could hear voices coming from down the hall, including the familiar voice of her dear friend. She knocked on the open door before stepping inside.

"Noa!" A woman said cheerfully from the other side of the room. It was Ayako's mother, a tall, thin, blonde woman wearing a simple mauve dress. "You're here!" She was fussing with a woman's hair, trying to pin a veil in place – an act that was foiled as soon as the woman whipped her head around to look at the door.

"FINALLY!" The woman shrieked, leaping to her feet. Ayako's mother made an indignant sound as her daughter knocked the veil out of her hands in her quest to reach Noa. Laughing, Noa let her friend hug her tightly, trying not to breathe in too many perfume or hair spray fumes.

"I have so much to tell you," Ayako said, pulling back to look at Noa. "And you look great! Your boobs got bigger!"

Noa cocked an eyebrow before crossing her arms. Ayako had never been one to mince words, and she was used to it. "Me? Look at you! You look beautiful."

She really did, Noa realized. Ayako glowed in her ruffled dress, and when she smiled the whole room brightened.

"Come on," she said, pulling Noa's hand. "Let's chat."

-0-

After about an hour, Noa left Ayako so that the bride could finish getting ready, and headed back downstairs. She was surprised to find that she really enjoyed talking to her friend – it gave her a glimpse back into the life she had before she was living on her own. It felt nice to be truly happy for someone else.

Downstairs, many more people had arrived and Noa couldn't see her mother anywhere. Figuring she would make her way outside, she started to squeeze through the people milling about in the hallways, every so often apologizing for knocking someone a little too hard.

"Excuse me," she said, pushing past a tall man with his back turned to her. The hem of her dress brushed past his legs, making him look at her. Noa immediately recognized him as Kuchiki Byakuya, head of the Kuchiki family and one of the major heads of the Gotei 13 division. Division Six, to be exact.

"Oh, please forgive me," Noa said immediately, even though she knew she had barely brushed by him. The Kuchiki family was quite possibly the oldest and most influential family in modern-day business, and as it's current head Byakuya held a lot of power. She didn't want to risk appearing rude.

"No harm done," he said softly. "Miss..."

"Uh, Ueshima, sir. Ueshima Noa. You may have known my father," Noa trailed off.

"Yes," Byakuya said simply. Noa had heard he was a quiet man, but she hadn't expected him to be be so distant.

"Brother?" A feminine voice spoke up from the side. It was Rukia Kuchiki. Noa recognized her from Ukitake's office. "Oh! Hello," Rukia said cheerfully. She wore a very pretty lavender dress, complimenting the color of her brother's tie.

"Brother, this is the woman I was telling you about. Hisagi's editor, the one that Ukitake is trying to help get reinstated?" Rukia smiled.

Byakuya looked curious. "Hmm. Quite a lot of work for the sake of a _low-tier_ employee, if I'm not mistaken. Please excuse me," he said, stepping away from the girls.

Noa tried not to look offended. _'I know I'm not the most important person in the company, but I'd hardly call myself 'low tier'...!'_

Rukia sighed, noticing the look on Noa's face. "I'm...sorry about that. He isn't in a very amicable mood. My brother isn't overly fond of weddings." A sad look appeared on her face, and she leaned in closer so that they weren't overheard.

"My sister was Byakuya's wife. She died four years ago," Rukia said softly. "He was never a jovial person, but he hasn't been the same since then. I think weddings remind him of the time they had together, and, well..."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Noa placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "It's fine. I understand. I know that, in the grand scheme of things, my plight is of no great importance, and I truly appreciate everything that Ukitake and Shuhei are trying to do for me. You as well, Rukia."

The dark haired woman smiled. "Don't undersell yourself," she said, patting Noa on the shoulder. "Besides, any chance to show up Aizen is a worthy one, in my opinion." She then dismissed herself, no doubt to look for her melancholy brother.

Feeling considerably sadder, Noa grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter and continued on her quest to the outside. The hallway led to a massive covered porch, filled with even more flowers, and then lead onto a raised patio. Stepping out into the fresh air, Noa went to the railing of the patio, and looked down at the massive back gardens where the wedding and reception would be held.

She was content to stay there, out of the way, sipping on her champagne. It was almost relaxing, despite the massive amounts of people and the inevitable headache from all of the socializing and drinking she would be doing. Sighing, she swirled her drink around, only to have a few droplets spill onto her dress.

Noa hoped that no one had seen her do that. Silently cursing, she set her drink down on the rail and dabbed at the spill. Thankfully her dress was dark enough so that the wet spot wasn't too noticeable, and it was only champagne so it wouldn't stain too badly. As she probed around the top of her dress looking for dark spots, Ayako's words popped into her head. Her breasts were never a huge point of pride for Noa – they weren't tiny, but they weren't anything special either. Frowning, she looked around her to make sure no one was paying attention and peered down the top of her dress. _'Are they really bigger...?'_

"Lose something?"

Jumping, Noa pressed her hands to her chest, ready to explain herself when she noticed who exactly had spoken to her. Aizen leaned against the railing of the patio, holding a glass of wine and looking comfortable in a light gray button down. Not exactly sure what to think, and embarrassed that he had caught her looking down her top, she flushed pink.

"N-no!" She stuttered. Aizen raised a brow, but didn't press the issue. Crossing her arms, Noa frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited," he said simply, sipping his drink.

"You could have told me!" Noa hissed, stepping forward and looking around.

"How was I supposed to know the heir to one of the largest shareholders in our engineering sector was marrying your friend?" Aizen replied. "In truth, I had completely forgotten I was invited to this wedding until you mentioned it. So thank you."

_'He knows that I'm less than happy to see him,'_ Noa realized, and tried not to feel bad. _'Well, I have a right to be! He lectured me once on ignoring him, and then proceeds to ignore me for an entire week? Of course I don't feel bad.'_

"Why aren't you in the ceremony?" Aizen asked, and Noa looked at him, confused. "This...Ayako, is it? I would expect that she would want you in her wedding, if you two are as good friends as others are saying you are."

"You asked about me?" Noa said slowly, and Aizen nodded. Her stomach suddenly felt upset.

"There are reporters here," she said quietly. "If they suspect something-"

"No harm done," Aizen raised a hand to silence her. "I merely recognized your mother. It would have been rude of me not to inquire about you."

There was silence. They both looked out over the gardens.

"I didn't want to," Noa said suddenly, arms still crossed. When Aizen looked at her, she shrugged. "Being in the wedding...She asked me, and I said no. I didn't want to."

"Why?"

"I didn't feel like I'd fit in." Suddenly, saying it out loud made her feel childish. _'I often feel childish when around you. Is it because I am, or do you make me feel this way?'_

People began to head towards the seats in the back of the garden where the ceremony would be taking place. Noa and Aizen stayed where they were as the patio began to empty, neither of them looking at the other.

"Why do we talk like this?" Aizen said suddenly.

Noa turned her head. "Like what?"

"Like we aren't together."

She didn't know what to say. _'Because we aren't, not really? Because if people knew, I'd be betraying the ones trying to help me get my other job back?'_

_'Because you'll never really love me.'_

Noa sighed, opting for the easy truth. "Because then people would realize something is up, and we don't want that kind of attention."

"Hn." He straightened, and ran a hand through his hair. Noa desperately wished she knew what he was thinking, and why he had said those words. Her thoughts were cut short, however, as people began ushering them towards their seats. Before she was swept away, Aizen grasped her hand and pulled her in close, and for a second she was afraid he would kiss her.

"Find me after the ceremony," he whispered into her ear, and then he was gone.

-0-

The ceremony itself was just as beautiful as Noa anticipated, and as soon as Ayako and Youta became kissed the guests cheered. Noa clapped, happy for her friend and her smiling face from her spot near the front with her mother.

The reception took place back towards the house, with the bride and groom's table and several close guests tables underneath the covered porch and the rest of the guests spilling outwards onto the patio. Noa sat with her mother and a few other people at a table close to the bride's side. After the dinner and toasts, the guests then rose to dance or mingle with the newly wedded couple.

Noa was getting ready to stand and look for Aizen when Ayako approached her. The bride squeezed her friend in a tight hug, a huge smile on her face. "I'm so happy, No!"

Smiling, Noa grabbed her friend's hands. "Me too, Aya. You and Youta look perfect."

Her friend giggled – she was obviously more than a little tipsy. Leaning in, she hiccuped.

"Today has been perfect! And can you believe that Aizen showed up? Youta told me that he was invited as a formality, and no one actually expected him to show. His parents are ecstatic!"

Noa frowned. "Yes, it's...quite the event."

Ayako giggled again, and kissed Noa on the cheek. "It's your turn next!" She said loudly, before walking away to find her husband.

Noa found Aizen wandering around the back of the gardens, amidst maple trees and a dimly lit and unoccupied gazebo. She walked barefooted through the cool grass, her heels in hand. She had removed them during dinner, much to her mother's dismay. The evening air was much cooler here than in the city, and she knew it would not be long before she was heading back inside for warmth.

She joined Aizen as he strolled around the trees. It was quiet, save for the hum of the party in the background and the dulled sound of crickets in the distance.

"It's a pretty area," Noa finally spoke, breaking the silence. "I've never spent much time up here, so I didn't know how nice it could be."

Nodding, Aizen pointed off to the right of the estate. "There's a lake, further up the road," he said. "I have a house there, on the edge. I don't spend much time there, but it's the nicest area around here."

Noa sighed, and Aizen looked at her, curious. "What?"

"I feel like I don't know anything about you," Noa blurted out, stopping in her tracks. Aizen turned to face her one hand in his pocket.

"A mountain house, an ex-girlfriend? Every time I'm with you I learn something completely different. I don't know if you're just really well-rounded, or hiding things. And then you go and say things about me that I never told you, like just _know_," Noa finished. "And it's not fair."

"What do you mean?"

Noa shrugged half-heartedly. "I mean that whatever _we_ are feels really one-sided at times. And I don't know if it's you, me, or both of us."

"I know that this," she gestured to the both of them, "Isn't exactly a serious relationship. Hell, we don't even talk about it like that to each other, never mind in public or to anyone." She stepped forward, suddenly finding strength. "But I need to know whether or not being with me is something you're really interested in, or if I'm going to be dropped as soon as something more interesting comes along."

For a moment Aizen looked taken aback, like he hadn't expected her to say that. A smooth facade quickly covered any surprise there might have been, making Noa wonder if it was ever there.

"I'm not a good person," he said lowly, stepping towards her. "I'm not going to make you happy like your friend and her husband."

He was very close to her now. Noa hoped that the trees hid them from anyone who might be able to see them.

"You can leave now," he said, "And I will not think any less of you for it."

"I know," she said, almost in a whisper. "I know."

The lower half of his body grazed hers, and she tensed in the knowledge of what those hips could do.

"Then why are you still here?" He asked, cupping her face in his hands.

He kissed her like she had never been kissed before. She dropped her shoes, and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting herself sink into his skin and his touch. They were close to the gazebo, and they dropped to sit on the steps, facing away from the party. Her hands roamed through his soft hair as he began to pull at her dress, bringing one large hand to splay across her thighs.

She was burning up in his touch. She felt so far away, yet when his skin touched hers, it was like all of her senses were focused on that spot. It wasn't until his hand brushed against her panties, pulling them aside that she broke their kiss, placing a hand on his chest.

"Not here," she said, breathing heavily. Aizen ignored her and went for her throat, kissing from behind her ear to where her neck met her shoulder.

"Come to my place," he whispered heavily into her skin, and she felt shivers go down her spine. "Come back with me."

"No..." she insisted, and pulled away. "I can't...I can't."

She stood straightening her dress and picking up her shoes. Her hair was a mess and she looked obviously disheveled, but she didn't care. She couldn't do this right now.

He looked up at her, a mixture of both anger and what seemed like regret on his face, but she turned heel and headed back to the house.

-0-

Noa arrived back at her apartment just after midnight. She had avoided her mother and Ayako when she returned to the party, only saying that she didn't feel well and was calling a cab. Her mother had offered to take her home, and Ayako had looked concerned, but Noa refused and merely left to wait out front. Her head was swimming and she still felt like she would burst into a pile of ashes any second.

She was tired of not having her questions answered by Aizen, of the stupid games he would play with her. She saw them now, clear as day. He deflected her questions and concerns with sex appeal and seduction and she was _tired_ of it. _'At least I know where I stand with him now.'_

So why didn't she feel any better?

Noa didn't even bother to turn on the lights when she entered. She threw her shoes to the side and collapsed on the couch. "I'm so stupid," she whispered. "I fell in love." And when given the chance to leave it all behind, she instead let him reel her back in.

_Knock._

Noa froze, and looked to the door. It was probably one of her elderly neighbors, checking in on her or something. Or maybe it was her mother.

But when she threw the door open, he stood there.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Noa felt words rise in her throat, but they were stuck, like she was choking on them. _'You came back,'_ she wanted to say. _'Say something,'_ she wanted to scream.

He grabbed her waist, and pushed her over the side of the couch. He crawled over her, one knee pushing apart her thighs, his whole body hovering over her. She held her breath.

"What do you want to know?" He whispered – no, growled in her ear. A shudder ran through her body and she closed her eyes as he finished what had begun an hour ago at the party.


	23. Interlude I

**Interlude I**

**Hello everyone!**

**This is not a regular chapter. It's a small collection of some tiny moments between Noa and Aizen that I have not been able to fit into the regular chapters. They're not very long, and are not necessarily interconnected to each other or the main storyline in any substantial way. They're like a "behind-the-scenes" reel. Some of them have no context.**

**I feel bad for not updating, but please know that I am working on the story. I haven't given up on it, I just have a lot to do, and I'm working on where I want the story to go.**

**In the meantime, I've created a blog dedicated to Aizen and this story. The link is in my bio page, near the top. Feel free to ask me any 'Oleander' related questions, whether they be about Noa, Aizen, or the universe in general, or even just to talk about 'Bleach' related things. I promise I'll respond.**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Lightening flashed, lighting the room for an instant before it returned to its darkened state. Noa shot up from the bed, and wondered why she hadn't shut the curtains before climbing in. The storm was fierce; violent winds thrust heavy rain towards the glass, and although she knew she was secure a twinge of fear trickled through her body. She had never liked braving stormy nights by herself. And although she knew it would be admitting defeat, she climbed out of bed and began to tiptoe towards his room.<p>

Another flash of light illuminated her path, and she could see his door was partway open. That made her feel a little better; if he hadn't wanted her at all, it would be shut all the way.

And then again, his door being open meant he probably knew she'd come in, but she pushed that down and sidled into the room. She could see his form on the left side of the bed, loosely covered by the satin sheets. Walking quietly to the right side, she pulled back the sheets and slipped in, her back to his.

"I thought you said you weren't sleeping here tonight," his voice said quietly, and she sighed.

"I-!" She jumped slightly as a particularly loud burst of thunder echoed throughout the apartment, and inched backwards until her back was touching his.

"I don't like sleeping through storms by myself," she mumbled into her pillow, more than a little embarrassed. "Can I...stay here?"

There was silence, and she was afraid he was going to ask her to go when his arm snaked over her side and clutched her hip. With a tug, he flipped her over and pulled her to his chest, her head resting comfortably in the hollow under his neck. Their legs crossed each other, and she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek to his soft skin. It wasn't long before she fell asleep, the pattering of rain on the windows no longer a source of anxiety.

* * *

><p>She lay on his chest as he slept, the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing relaxing and calm. Her ear to his skin, she could feel the thrum of his heart, and she gazed out the window, staring at the moon.<p>

The glowing orb was bright- so bright it illuminated their intertwined bodies in a soft light. As she stared, she felt the creeping sensation of guilt and regret, like the moon was privy to this secret she was hiding from the world. Up, high in the sky, the moon gazed down upon them, its light creating the shadows she felt she was crawling through with what she was doing. _'What am I doing?'_

A soft brush at her hip made her close her eyes. He stroked her skin softly, still sleeping, and her heart twisted in two directions. It was so, so hard, but she was wading into the deep end. Soon she'd be fully submerged by him, by what he was doing to her. It was so wrong, but she wanted it. She wanted it. She wanted him.

* * *

><p>Green tea yogurt and tofu.<p>

_'What an odd combination.'_

The light hum of the fridge was the only sound in the apartment. Noa held open the stainless steel door, peering inside impressively large appliance. She had awoken less than an hour earlier, alone in Aizen's downtown apartment after spending the night. There was a note on the bathroom counter, telling her that he had left on a quick errand and would be back soon. She had felt slightly hungover, even though she hadn't drunk at all the previous night, and went into the kitchen for a glass of water.

It was a beautiful kitchen, all steel and white granite and dark wood, very minimalistic. She opened three cabinets before she found the glasses, surprised that she had only found a few jars of tea leaves. She had decided to snoop a bit around the kitchen some more when she opened the fridge and found only two cartons of green tea yogurt and a sealed package of firm tofu.

_'Either he doesn't eat much, or he has very bland tastes,' _Noa surmised, pulling out one of the yogurts and peeling back the lid. Sticking a finger in the green substance, she thought about her own kitchen, in all its cluttered glory. Licking her finger, she decided that although she could appreciate the nice design of Aizen's kitchen, she'd prefer one full of food.

The sound of the front door opening made her look up from her mid-morning snack as Aizen appeared around the corner. He eyed her curiously, and Noa suddenly remembered she was only wearing one of his shirts and her underwear. That, coupled with her disheveled hair, must have made quite the odd impression as she stood in his kitchen eating yogurt.

"I do have spoons, you know," Aizen said, a hint of humor in his voice.

Embarrassed, Noa shrugged. "Really? I guess I couldn't find them behind all the jars of tea and packages of yogurt and tofu."

Frowning slightly, Aizen went over to his fridge and peered inside. "Hmmm," he muttered. "I suppose I'll have to tell Shima to go shopping again..."

"Who is Shima?" Noa wondered.

Closing the fridge door, Aizen pulled out his phone and began to type. "She does the shopping for me, and cleans the apartment every week. Like a housekeeper, I suppose."

Noa smirked. "That must be nice."

"I don't have time for it," Aizen continued. "The majority of my time isn't spent here."

"You must eat more than yogurt and tofu, though," Noa replied. Aizen looked up at her, half-smiling.

"What do you eat?"

Shrugging, Noa sat down the now empty carton. "Everything, I suppose. I'm not picky."

Looking down at his watch, he moved towards the back of the apartment. "It's nearly eleven. If you put some clothes on, we can go out to brunch. Of course..." he looked back at her, and she frowned.

"You could always take them off, as well."

She blushed, but followed him into the bedroom. "What a difficult decision."

_'Not that difficult.'_


End file.
